What does it take to grow from boy to man in a magical kingdom filled with danger and trouble?
The boy who learns to use his small knife like a wolf’s tooth to defend himself and win his place in the pack has to find out.
The Wolf’s Tooth is the story of Twee, a youth adrift in a world beyond his understanding. Adopted by a wolf pack; Sold as a slave; Apprenticed to a blacksmith; Trained in courtly manners. Each step takes Twee further away from knowing who he really is and who he wants to be.
The young lion, the prince regent of the kingdom, thinks there is some connection between Twee and himself. Strong and powerful, the image of an aspiring king, but with a sneer that could curdle milk, he will stop at nothing to keep Twee from learning the truth about his past.
And who is Vix? The mysterious street urchin growing into a young woman. Granted mystical powers by her mother, will she stand in Twee’s way or become his biggest ally?
The Wolf’s Tooth, the symbol of Twee’s belief in his family and friends, is the only thing that stands between Twee, the Young Lion, and tyranny.
Assessment:
Plot: The Wolf’s Tooth is initially slow to develop, but is redeemed by the ever-changing fortunes of Twee, which make it a gripping read that is hard to put down. Nevertheless, unanswered questions remain.
Prose/Style: The prose is delightfully lyrical in places, particularly at the opening of the novel, but is undermined by episodes of incongruous character dialogue.
Originality: While the theme of being raised by wild animals is not a new one, it is followed by three distinct—and largely fantastical—periods in Twee’s life, which lend the book a decidedly unique spin.
Character Development: The Wolf's Tooth introduces a range of quirky characters that will delight the reader—particularly the wonderful, compassionate, non-conforming female wolves.
Date Submitted: April 02, 2020
Steve Lamperti's style is fluid, almost stream-of-consciousness at times, inviting the reader to jump in and hang on for dear life in a current of word play and action. In both The Wolf's Tooth and Moon and Shadow, world-building details are meticulous and multi-layered, with delicious references to baselards and daggers, blacksmith bellows and quenched nail headers, street urchins and wolf packs. Readers will be charmed by the characters populating his stories, particularly Wolf's Tooth's Twee and Moon and Shadow's Sebastian, both of whom are a bit ingenuous, walking through their respective worlds somewhat perplexed, always seeming to dwell on the outside of regular society. Reading Lamperti's writing feels like listening to a beloved uncle telling stories around the campfire.
