Wolf Soldier

By: James R. Hannibal

Narrated by: Adam Verner

The fate of the Dragon Lands are at play.
The knights of the Lightraider Order disappeared nearly two generations past. Now, the Keledan have withdrawn behind their barriers, and the Dragon Lands of bordering Tanelethar are overrun with dark oppression. The people are living in disobedience to the Rescuer who freed them long ago.
A shepherd boy, Connor Enarian, and four young initiates rekindle the fires of the Lightraider Order in the hope of striking out across the mountains into Tanelethar to destroy a portal and stop an impending invasion.
Once in the Dragon Lands, Connor learns that the key to success lies with a missing Lightraider spy and his lifelong companion, a talking silver wolf. Can Connor and his friends find the spy before the portal grows too large to destroy? Or will a local young woman—or Connor’s own family history—betray them?
The dangers and secrets of Tanelethar test both trust and loyalty, and to save his homeland, Connor may have to sacrifice his innermost dreams.

Critic reviews

"Inspired by the Christian fantasy role-playing game DragonRaid, the moral and religious teachings in the book are clear. An engaging Christian fantasy, readers will find this an exciting, action-filled read." — Kirkus Reviews

"James R. Hannibal creates superb stories. His imagination and creativity are literally out of this world . . . Exciting and suspenseful reading!" — Dick Wulf, creator of DragonRaid

"Reading James R. Hannibal's Wolf Soldier felt to me what it must have been like for others to read the debut Harry Potter or Wheel of Time entry. This seminal young adult effort is that good . . . Wolf Soldier echoes Orson Scott Card’s Ender series in all the right ways. Hannibal handles genre tropes with skill and aplomb, managing to make a well-worn form seem fresh and new. This exquisite adventure is a great read for kids of all ages." — BookTrib

"Wolf Soldier does not disappoint! Hannibal delivers an action-packed quest through a world of fantastical creatures and unexpected friendships. A journey of faith and freedom from start to finish and an epic beginning to the Lightraider Academy series!" — Lauren H. Brandenburg, award-winning author of The Death of Mungo Blackwell (Lauren H. Brandenburg)

"From the gorgeous world-building to the delightful characters and surprising plot twists, Wolf Soldier thoroughly captivated me. James R. Hannibal has crafted a remarkable adventure that is sure to sweep readers away." — Lindsay A. Franklin, award-winning author of The Story Peddler (Lindsay A. Franklin)

Wolf Soldier combines action, adventure, and medieval pageantry with relatable teenage characters. Scary fight scenes keep the story moving, while Biblical elements lend spiritual depth to the tale.

Ranger's Apprentice Meets Tolkien and Lewis

I finished the audiobook Wolf Soldier by James R Hannibal. From the first word this book had my full attention. Mix Rangers Apprentice's training future warriors with Tolkien's high fantasy worldbuilding, and CS Lewis' allegory and you have the Lightraider Academy series. The fate of the world is at stake and it is up to a band of unlikely teens to save it. But will evil armies and conflict within Lightraider ranks destroy the teens before they can complete their mission? This clean fantasy will delight readers of all ages. I give it five stars!

Highly recommended

As a Christian who is a fan of fantasy this is the type of novel I’ve been looking for. Great for adolescents and teens especially. It has all your classic Lord of the Rings type monsters with goblins, orcs, trolls, etc but is very biblical in its message. It even has scriptures straight from the Bible and it’s theology regarding God is on point. I would say it’s more biblically explicit than Chronicles of Narnia or Wingfeather saga. The lessons taught are clear and easy to understand.

Reads flat compared to most allegories but I appreciate what the author was trying to do

As a writer, I can see the need to just let the stories I write have their own elements without forcing it from this. This book almost feels like the author felt obliged to include certain elements like a “ high language” just because other fantasy writers have done so. Also, I think the best stories leave room for the reader to contemplate the meaning without leading them to it. This story does a lot of leading. Nonetheless, writing something that shows how spiritual warfare works isn’t easy. I’m still learning how to write fantasy and build a world. So, I am not sure I could do better at this point. However, I hope to eventually be able to do so.

So, the reader's commentary BEFORE the story...

...prevented me from even WANTING to fall into the story. Telling me how you want me to interpret the story and what moral I should find and how you want me to act (or hope I act) after reading the story removes the enjoyment: now I have to read it with a particular ear rather than an open hope for entertainment. Maybe I would have gleaned all you wanted from the story, but now I will focus on that and perhaps miss even more. I mean, if you wrote well, then you wouldn't need to prep me ... it's like explaining a joke BEFORE telling it. I'd suggest skipping that intro to all: listen to the intro at the end, if you must, to compare what insight you gained to that which the reader hopes you gained. For me ... I'm done before even getting 15 minutes in. I have no problem with people preaching to me through the writing, but I do have a problem with being forced into seeing the writings AS preaching ... do that if you are asking me to turn to a Bible verse or the next chapter in our philosophy text book. ugh.