The Wolves of Midwinter

The Wolf Gift Chronicles, Book 2

By: Anne Rice

Narrated by: Ron McLarty

Length: 15 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's Summary

In Anne Rice's surprising and compelling best-selling novel, the first of her strange and mythic imagining of the world of wolfen powers, readers and listeners were spellbound as Rice conjured up a daring new world set against the wild and beckoning California coast.

Now in her new novel, as lush and romantic in detail and atmosphere as it is sleek and steely in storytelling, Anne Rice takes us once again to the rugged coastline of Northern California, to the grand mansion at Nideck Point, and further explores the unearthly education of her transformed Man Wolf.

The novel opens on a cold, gray landscape. It is the beginning of December. Oak fires are burning in the stately flickering hearths of Nideck Point. It is Yuletide. For Reuben Golding, now infused with the Wolf Gift and under the loving tutelage of the Morphenkinder, this promises to be a Christmas like no other...

The Yuletide season, sacred to much of the human race, has been equally sacred to the Man Wolves, and Reuben soon becomes aware that they, too, steeped in their own profound rituals, will celebrate the ancient Midwinter festival deep within the verdant richness of Nideck forest.

From out of the shadows of Nideck comes a ghost - tormented, imploring, unable to speak yet able to embrace and desire with desperate affection …. As Reuben finds himself caught up with - and drawn to - the passions and yearnings of this spectral presence.

Includes the Original Song "Exiles (The Wolves of Midwinter)", Performed by Mary Fahl.

"I devoured these pages . . . As solid and engaging as anything she has written since her early Vampire Chronicles fiction." (Alan Cheuse, The Boston Globe)

"A delectable cocktail of old-fashioned lost-race adventure, shape-shifting, and suspense." (Elizabeth Hand, The Washington Post)

©2013 Anne Rice (P)2013 Random House Audio

What Happened!!

Was Anne Rice bored?? the first book was great this one is so repetitious and so boring. I will say that it is well written but that is all it has going for it.

Great story!

really loved this book and the first. Just sad there was never the third as it was originally part of a trilogy. but still good and I loved the books so much I had to hear the audible versions a few years later :)

Not what I expect from Annie rice.

It's not bad but I expect alot better from her . It just got a little boring. It went on and on about stuff sometimes.

Waiting for #3

I enjoyed this second book...the story was not as boring as I feared it might be after reading reviews. I have always enjoyed Anne Rice. The one little thing I noticed toward the end of the book was the narrator was overlapping or blending some of the character voices that had been so distinct before.

pronouncements, sentimentality, mini-dramas, yuk

After 3 bored and questioning hours into this story, I was finally convinced that this story was not really going anywhere, and I was, unfortunately and unbelievably, bored. And, after 15 hours and 54 minutes--the entire story--I realized that was the feeling that I was going to be left with.

I loved The Wolf Gift, and couldn’t wait for the sequel. It was so disappointing to realize that this was it. I continued to listen only b/c I had so enjoyed the preceding book in this series. Otherwise, I think I would’ve given up. It felt like Rice had no goal or direction in the story. And Reuben, the main male character, often sounded childish and whiny. I don’t know what the heck happened. All of the great words and sentences in this story came together to showcase little mini-dramas, some of which were dropped in a somewhat unfinished fashion never to be picked up again, leaving me wondering what happened. And these mini-dramas dripped with an over abundance of sentimentality all of which came across as great pronouncements instead of just a story, a story of people’s/werewolves’ lives. All of the sentimentality centered on the many paranormal folk living together now in great and absolute harmony, added to the boring-ness and came across as unbelievable and, most importantly, uninteresting.

Sadly, I won’t try another story in this series, if there are more. And I’m very, very unlikely to purchase any more books by Anne Rice. I’m afraid something is occurring in her writing that can’t be undone and will be part of all of her future writings. This book doesn’t seem even remotely connected and similar to The Wolf Gift beyond the same characters, and I just don’t get it. I could barely finish this book. And the only reason I did was b/c I thought and was seriously hoping that it would improve. It never did.

fuzzy and blowing in the wind

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

not really. It was more like being given a dry toast sandwich with one slice of monterey jack cheese on it when you were starving for a new york strip.....sure you can live that way but why would you want to ....

Who was your favorite character and why?

Reuben and in some ways Phil (have always been fond of the absent minded professor types...).

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

performancewise... always a fan of Ron's work.... hmmm for some reason Sergei stands out... especially when the character was attempting humor

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

no... not this book. the wolf gift... yes without hesitation. might rent it but...

Any additional comments?

it very much struck me as this was a transititon book in a series. I agree with many of the other reviews in that finding the actual story in the story was difficult at best, and.... fuzzy when you did. so many new characters were introduced at all intervals of the story and potential impact they may have had it was distracting. then significant events seemed to pop up but with little connection to a larger theme other than... and then this happened...It also seemed the purpose was somewhat of a verbal internal debate of the nature of philosophical perspectives but not to a cohesive or satisfactorily answered or explored depth. If through action and plot the ideas can be expressed then there is a draw. Show me art don't tell me about it.not sure if I will pick up the third book (assuming there is to be one). I desperately hope there is because I was sooooo looking forward to an exploration of the lycanthrope franchise done well and all the potential that has always been there ( as opposed to everyone is a vampire and they suck....). Wolves are creatures of action and passion and drives. While there seems to be that in the wolves of midwinter, they came off more like (deep apologies for the use of the term and the connotations it has been derogatorily used for) "pussies." there were points I wanted to slap the .... out of Felix....

Very disappointed

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The narrator was horrible. He sounds as if he has talking with a mouth full of marbles. I can't get by his irritating mumbling to enjoy the story.

If you’ve listened to books by Anne Rice before, how does this one compare?

Too much religion tied in. Each new book gets worse!

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Ron McLarty?

Michael Kelly
Christopher Lane
Eric Conger

Did The Wolves of Midwinter inspire you to do anything?

Not to purchase any more Ann Rice audiobooks!

Not Anne Rice's Best

Would you try another book from Anne Rice and/or Ron McLarty?

I have read and loved practically every book that Anne Rice has written, but unfortunately found The Wolves of Midwinter, unlike The Wolf Gift, slow and even cumbersome reading most of the time. The story read like a "Werewolves' Christmas Tale".

What could Anne Rice have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

I could and would never try to give Anne Rice advice on making her books more enjoyable--she and Stephen King are my two favorite authors--but seldom can any author, particularly one with such a large body of work, satisfy each reader thoroughly with every book. This one just happens to be one of those times.

If you have read MEN OF THE OTHER WORLD,

What disappointed you about The Wolves of Midwinter?

It is the same plots ,same caracters with different names as men of the other world. I was suprised to find this. I love Ann Rice. However I read the other book first. same in every way.

What was most disappointing about Anne Rice’s story?

It seems to be someone else not Ann Rice.

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

I could not get into this story,so I have no favorite.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Not to me.

Any additional comments?

I love Ann Rice. I will buy her books again. I will hope not to find a copy of something that I read elsewhere. These books are so much alike.

Whiny werewolves

Four chapters in, I could literally tolerate no more of the angst and whining from Ruben. I put the speed to 3X and skipped to the last three chapters. I love Anne Rice, and will continue to listen/read her work, but wanted to warn others to be prepared for this selection!