The Wolf Gift

The Wolf Gift Chronicles (1)

By: Anne Rice

Narrated by: Ron McLarty

Length: 17 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “Vintage Anne Rice—a lushly written, gothic … metaphysical tale. This time, with werewolves.” —The Wall Street Journal

A daring new departure from the inspired creator of The Vampire Chronicles (“unrelentingly erotic . . . unforgettable”—The Washington Post), Lives of the Mayfair Witches (“Anne Rice will live on through the ages of literature”—San Francisco Chronicle), and the angels of The Songs of the Seraphim (“remarkable”—Associated Press). A whole new world—modern, sleek, high-tech—and at its center, a story as old and compelling as history: the making of a werewolf, reimagined and reinvented as only Anne Rice, teller of mesmerizing tales, conjurer extraordinaire of other realms, could create.

The time is the present.

The place, the rugged coast of Northern California. A bluff high above the Pacific. A grand mansion full of beauty and tantalizing history set against a towering redwood forest.

A young reporter on assignment from the San Francisco Observer . . . An older woman welcoming him into her magnificent family home that he has been sent to write about and that she must sell with some urgency . . . A chance encounter between two unlikely people . . . An idyllic night—shattered by horrific unimaginable violence, the young man inexplicably attacked—bitten—by a beast he cannot see in the rural darkness . . . A violent episode that sets in motion a terrifying yet seductive transformation, as the young man, caught between ecstasy and horror, between embracing who he is evolving into and fearing what he will become, soon experiences the thrill of the wolf gift.

As he resists the paradoxical pleasure and enthrallment of his wolfen savagery and delights in the power and (surprising) capacity for good, he is caught up in a strange and dangerous rescue and is desperately hunted as “the Man Wolf” by authorities, the media, and scientists (evidence of DNA threatens to reveal his dual existence) . . . As a new and profound love enfolds him, questions emerge that propel him deeper into his mysterious new world: questions of why and how he has been given this gift; of its true nature and the curious but satisfying pull towards goodness; of the profound realization that there may be others like him who are watching—guardian creatures who have existed throughout time who possess ancient secrets and alchemical knowledge. And throughout it all, the search for salvation for a soul tormented by a new realm of temptations, and the fraught, exhilarating journey, still to come, of being and becoming, fully, both wolf and man.

©2012 Anne Rice (P)2012 Listening Library

Critic reviews

“Rice weaves her trademark meditations on the role of supernatural creatures in society into an often thrilling, page-turning yarn.” (Booklist)

“The Wolf Gift is vintage Anne Rice—a lushly written, gothic…metaphysical tale. This time, with werewolves.” (The Wall Street Journal)

“Rice has never shied away from tackling Big Issues…The Wolf Gift marks a return to form while still giving a nod to spiritual matters…[A] delectable cocktail of old-fashioned lost-race adventure, shape-shifting and suspense.” (Elizabeth Hand, The Washington Post)

Kept me glued until the end

I could see it all in my minds eye. The narrator voice sucked you in. The story kept you drawn in until the end and now I can’t wait to start the next book

loved it

I loved everything that happened in this book. Finally a werewolf book that gets it right. A little slow to start but that y it is so good. I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!

worthwhile

The book gets off to a slow start, but I enjoyed it and found it worth reading. I could have done without some of the overdone flowery language, and some of the very gory animal kill scenes are given in way too much detail. The expression of sexuality happens far too quickly to be realistic as well.

Anne rice is the Queen of the paranormal!

It was a little slow at 1st but It lived up to my expectations and more.!!

Along Came a Wolf Bite

No spoilers here. I really enjoyed the first 70/80% of the book. It keeps you the edge saying just one more chapter - one more - next thing you know it’s 3 am.

I knock a star off as the last bit of the book became very lord driven and a bit too heavy handed.

Enjoyable, Funny. Suspenseful.

A New Type of Wolf.

I, for some reason that I no longer question, love this series. I have read and or heard, these books over and over. I regret that there may not be a third in this series. God called Anne Rice home before she could/ or would write a third book. She is/ was one of my favourite authors. Hopefully her son, Christopher Rice will take up the task. He too is a wonderful writer.

Wolf gift

Great story. I enjoy the story as I walk in the morning. Ann Rice always has excellent stories.

What a wonderful story to listen to.

Where does The Wolf Gift rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I think that it will be up there in my top 15 books.

What other book might you compare The Wolf Gift to and why?

I think I would compare it to Anne Rice Book Interview with a vampire. I think Because when he is going through the change and how he is dealing with new change in his life.

Which character – as performed by Ron McLarty – was your favorite?

Well, I loved Reuben, the way he portrayed him was excellent.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, when Reuben was running in the woods as a wolf and finds this cabin in the middle of the forest. He discovers this mystery girl who does not run away from him. That just shows that just because you look different you should be judge for what you look like.

Surprisingly good !

I don't usually read books by Anne Rice because I'm not much into vampire readings. THIS book is VERY good ! Excellent job with story line as well as an extremely good narrator. Hard to put down so to speak but Ron McLarty had me listening well into the night. Would love to hear more of this story.

Spellbinding!!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I haven't read Ann Rice for anumber of years, but when I listened to Wolf Gift I was enthralled. The descriptions were succulant, The narrator particularly seductive in his rendering of this story. She not only painted pictures with her words, but also brought smells and tastes and every other sense into play and the book lived!

My only regret is that I've already listened to it!!! I wish that it were brand new and I could experience it again, as new. I'm certain that I will listen again, and I hope that the flavor will hold!! I highly recommend it to all!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Wolf Gift?

I can't think of one moment. It all flowed and called out to me to continue the adventure.

Have you listened to any of Ron McLarty’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I don't know of any other books performed by Ron McLarty, but I will find out!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Don't know. I've never really seen a movie that was ever as moving as the book. I don't know how they could ever portray all of the emotion and sensuality, love and beauty of this in a movie and in any way understand what lay inside the soul and mind of these characters.

Any additional comments?

NO