Take a photo of a barcode or cover
edwardhabib 's review for:
Wolves of Winter: A Novel
by Dan Jones
8/10. What do famed historical fiction novelist Philippa Gregory, former CIA Director and head of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan General David Petraeus, and founding member of Guns N' Roses Duff McKagan have in common? They all enjoyed Wolves of Winter so much that they authored blurbs heaping praise on Dan Jones' sophomore novel. And I agree that there's definitely a lot to appreciate and enjoy here.
In my review of Essex Dogs, the first entry in this historical fiction trilogy set during the Hundred Years War, I wrote that the book was by no means remarkable and that in its simplicity, it sometimes resembles a video game. This all remains true in Wolves of Winter. However, I definitely enjoyed this entry more. Once again, Jones prioritizes action and spectacle above all else and several scenes in this book are undeniably shocking, graphic, hilarious, or just plain cool. Jones does a phenomenal job bringing the absurdity, violence, and depravity of medieval warfare to life in ways I will not soon forget. It is definitely not for everyone, but if you can handle it, you're in for a wild ride and you might even share in my experience of bursting into laughter while reading in public. I'm talking crossbow bolts between the eyes, bodies doused in boiling tar, ruffians pissing and shitting on cathedral altars, brains falling out of smashed skulls, men biting the heads off raw rats to prevent starvation, and rotting animal carcasses falling from city walls.
As a historical novel, I also found this to be a much better entry than its predecessor. The seige of Calais felt like a more worthy event to fictionalize than the various skirmishes that filled most of the first book. As is my preference in the genre, the historical figures such as King Edward, the Prince, and the nobles and knights of note do not dominate the narrative or hog the spotlight. Rather, medieval France is just a violent, filthy, and frigid backdrop in which the main characters' stories play out. If there is a down-side, Jones' over-reliance on explicit language and the constant curses incorporating Christ, the Virgin, the Saints, and their genitalia gets so exhausting that it breaks immersion. I'm not saying none of it should be here, but the balance just feels a bit off. But two novels in to this trilogy, I can't see that changing. It is what it is, and for all the hours of historical research, I suppose Jones has earned the right to have some fun with his fiction.
The character work is another improvement between this novel and its predecessor. For the most part, we follow the same band of Essex Dogs and supporting characters. Obviously, the band of brothers as it existed on the first page of the first novel has since been culled by a handful of violent deaths, but those who remain are given more personality and character development. The standout here is by far the young Romford, who spends Wolves of Winter grappling with a heartbreaking and horrifying amount of trauma. Jones does a great job using the youngest member of the group to illustrate how war robs everyone of their innocence, how trauma eats away at mental health, and how desperate and violent environments force people to resort to horrific acts. The main protagonist, Loveday, is a bit of a bore and his various obsessions and self pity are a bit excessive. But it's still endearing to see how much he cares about his Dogs, and the responsibility he feels for them all. Other than the Dogs themselves, Jones spends the most time developing The Captain and Squelette. Both are
portrayed as cynical, brooding figures with a loyalty only to themselves, and ultimately, neither's arc leads anywhere notable. While more could have been done within this novel's pages, I expect Jones will follow through on both of these characters in the sequel.
Overall, I enjoyed Wolves of Winter and look forward to seeing how this trilogy closes out. I feel confident that Dan Jones will have me laughing at the lewd humor, grimacing at the descriptions of blood and guts flying across battlefields, learning some cool history, and rooting for the Essex Dogs all the way.
In my review of Essex Dogs, the first entry in this historical fiction trilogy set during the Hundred Years War, I wrote that the book was by no means remarkable and that in its simplicity, it sometimes resembles a video game. This all remains true in Wolves of Winter. However, I definitely enjoyed this entry more. Once again, Jones prioritizes action and spectacle above all else and several scenes in this book are undeniably shocking, graphic, hilarious, or just plain cool. Jones does a phenomenal job bringing the absurdity, violence, and depravity of medieval warfare to life in ways I will not soon forget. It is definitely not for everyone, but if you can handle it, you're in for a wild ride and you might even share in my experience of bursting into laughter while reading in public. I'm talking crossbow bolts between the eyes, bodies doused in boiling tar, ruffians pissing and shitting on cathedral altars, brains falling out of smashed skulls, men biting the heads off raw rats to prevent starvation, and rotting animal carcasses falling from city walls.
As a historical novel, I also found this to be a much better entry than its predecessor. The seige of Calais felt like a more worthy event to fictionalize than the various skirmishes that filled most of the first book. As is my preference in the genre, the historical figures such as King Edward, the Prince, and the nobles and knights of note do not dominate the narrative or hog the spotlight. Rather, medieval France is just a violent, filthy, and frigid backdrop in which the main characters' stories play out. If there is a down-side, Jones' over-reliance on explicit language and the constant curses incorporating Christ, the Virgin, the Saints, and their genitalia gets so exhausting that it breaks immersion. I'm not saying none of it should be here, but the balance just feels a bit off. But two novels in to this trilogy, I can't see that changing. It is what it is, and for all the hours of historical research, I suppose Jones has earned the right to have some fun with his fiction.
The character work is another improvement between this novel and its predecessor. For the most part, we follow the same band of Essex Dogs and supporting characters. Obviously, the band of brothers as it existed on the first page of the first novel has since been culled by a handful of violent deaths, but those who remain are given more personality and character development. The standout here is by far the young Romford, who spends Wolves of Winter grappling with a heartbreaking and horrifying amount of trauma. Jones does a great job using the youngest member of the group to illustrate how war robs everyone of their innocence, how trauma eats away at mental health, and how desperate and violent environments force people to resort to horrific acts. The main protagonist, Loveday, is a bit of a bore and his various obsessions and self pity are a bit excessive. But it's still endearing to see how much he cares about his Dogs, and the responsibility he feels for them all. Other than the Dogs themselves, Jones spends the most time developing The Captain and Squelette. Both are
portrayed as cynical, brooding figures with a loyalty only to themselves, and ultimately, neither's arc leads anywhere notable. While more could have been done within this novel's pages, I expect Jones will follow through on both of these characters in the sequel.
Overall, I enjoyed Wolves of Winter and look forward to seeing how this trilogy closes out. I feel confident that Dan Jones will have me laughing at the lewd humor, grimacing at the descriptions of blood and guts flying across battlefields, learning some cool history, and rooting for the Essex Dogs all the way.