Book Review - The Red Wolf Conspiracy

The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V. S. Redick
Historical Fiction
Del Rey (2009), Hardcover
464 pages
Advance Readers Copy

The first moment I opened this book I could smell the salty sea spray and feel the snap of the heavy canvas sails in the wind. I could hear the creak of ageless magical timber and twisted hemp and the sound of a thousand activities as sailors scurried the deck of the Chathrand as it plied The Quiet Sea. Not since Raymond Feist’s “The King’s Buccaneer” or C. S. Forester’s “Hornblower” books have I had such fun on the high seas.

I truly enjoyed “The Red Wolf Conspiracy” and was pleasantly surprised and impressed by such a highly imaginative debut novel. I’m looking forward to all his future works. This is an historical seafaring romp with a magical/fantastical twist entwined with political intrigue which kept me turning pages at a furious rate. This is an enjoyable read with intelligently crafted characters, locations and scenes and was undeniably captivating. Best of all, there wasn’t a single misplaced or wasted word. I ask you to recall the first time you read “Lord Valentine’s Castle” or any of the “Pern” stories and you’ll begin to understand how wonderfully immersed in the fantasy I became while reading this tale.

My favorite characters were the tiny Ixhxchr which appear to be loosely based on Ireland’s “Little Folk” and Captain Nilus Rose, the stalwart skipper of the greatest ship to ever sail.

I can’t think of a single negative thing to say about this book. And, after an hour of thought I still can’t seem to find the right words to praise it highly enough.

5 of 5 stars

The Alternative
May 1st, 2009
Southeastern Wisconsin