Hold the Dark

A Novel

By: William Giraldi

Narrated by: Richard Ferrone

Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's Summary

A terrifying literary thriller set on the Alaskan tundra, about the mystery of evil and mankind’s losing battle with nature.

At the start of another pitiless winter, the wolves have come for the children of Keelut. Three children have been taken from this isolated Alaskan village, including the six-year-old son of Medora and Vernon Slone.

Shaken with grief and seeking consolation, Medora contacts nature writer and wolf expert Russell Core. Sixty years old, ailing in both body and spirit, and estranged from his daughter and wife, Core arrives in Keelut to investigate the killings. Immersing himself in this settlement at the end of the world, he discovers the horrifying darkness at the heart of Medora Slone and learns of an unholy truth harbored by this village.

When Vernon Slone returns from a desert war to discover his son dead and his wife missing, he begins a methodical pursuit across this frozen landscape. Aided by his boyhood companion, the taciturn and deadly Cheeon, and pursued by the stalwart detective Donald Marium, Slone is without mercy, cutting a bloody swath through the wilderness of his homeland. As Russell Core attempts to rescue Medora from her husband's vengeance, he comes face-to-face with an unspeakable secret at the furthermost reaches of American soil - a secret about the unkillable bonds of family and the untamed animal in the soul of every human being.

An Alaskan Oresteia, an epic woven of both blood and myth, Hold the Dark recalls the hyperborean climate and tribalism of Daniel Woodrell's Winter’s Bone and the primeval violence of James Dickey's Deliverance.

©2014 William Giraldi (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Alaska is the star of this book

This book is set in Alaska, and the author does a terrific job in bringing the land to life. I'm not always able to see the surroundings in other books as well as I did in this one. The characters and the story did not pull me in quite as much, although the book did start out strong. It's about primal, animal natures (in humans and wolves), and the author takes this very interesting underside of the human condition in a direction that may not please everybody. What is primal to some may seem senseless to others. I wished some of the characters had their beliefs challenged more - not to change them, but just to make it more interesting. At the end, there could be more resolution, so if that bothers you, you might not like this one.

WTF

I don't even know what to say, except spoiler.... this book has little to do with wolf lore and more about incest. Reading the reviews I feel like I'm one of a handful of people that find the ending of this book weird. Wouldn't recommend it whatsoever unless you like strange and disappointing endings.

Short but compelling.

After seeing the trailer on Netflix I decided to give the book a try before I saw the film. Man I was not expecting such twists from this novel. There was one point where the entire story flipped around and I was shocked at such a development. The lines are blurred when it comes to the main characters goals and the ending is not what you would expect. Time to watch the movie and see how it does!

Well Done

Good story, great writing and character development. And you'll learn something. Not sure you'll ever use what you learned but it's still interesting and good to know.

Disappointing twist

I got this book because I watched the movie and I felt there was something left out, something the movie didn’t explain - and I was right. I just didn’t appreciate the incest twist.

Hard to follow

The story was hard to follow. Maybe better if I read the print version myself.

Interesting but....

Found poor recording & narration. Too many clumsy adjectives distract any flow. No oaks in Alaska!

disappointing

this title starts with some intrigue and then becomes a very surface pubescent fantasy story without depth. unnecessary descriptions of quim and blood, but lacking the necessary details of plot or character development. a disappointing read at best. offensive at worst.

Enough twists to keep you involved.

Always staying fresh until the very end. Great quick read. You could really see the story in your head as you "read" it. Awesome narrator

Great film, great book!

We took this one on vacation with us!! perfect choice while flying and waiting for transfers!!