Wolf Brother: Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, Book 1

I was immediately drawn into the book by Sir Iam Mckellan's great and believable voice. Its opening line alone left you wanting more.

'...Torak woke with a jolt from a sleep that he'd never meant to have...'

The suspence throughout is thoroughly enthralling. Its as gripping for the adult minds as it is for the childs. It is beautifully written. Dynamic and thoughtful.
The hero, Torak is brave, strong and a real hero. The fears and triumphs are believable. The friendship that Torak and Wolf cultivate is believable and lovely. Humorous and honest. The other heros are great aswell.
And as for the villians. Well I will leave that for you to decide. But evil and menacing are apt description in my book.

I totally recommend this book to everyone.
I dont understand why it is not in the same league as Harry Potter. And this is no disrespect to the Potter series or J K Rowling, as I am a huge fan, but Michelle Paver really has proved herself to be in the big leagues here.

The book is marvellous and everyone should read it.

So buy this, sit back and just allow Ian's voice lead you into this great story whilst your imagination does the rest.

Xander

The story begins with a young boy called Torak, in a clearing with his dying father. The fathers last moments with his son are spent giving him instructions - to go and find the World's Spirit in the mountains within a month. He forces his son to swear on an oath before a savage demon bear kills him. So unaware, Torak embarks on his destiny, to save the forest. On his quest he meets a wolf cub - called Wolf who helps him find his way to the mountains. Torak discovers he can speak to Wolf and the two set out on their journey. This tale is full of suspense but is also funny in parts. Ian McKellan's narraration is outstanding and his powerful voice makes it impossible to stop listening!!!!!

What can I say. This was a great book to listen to. Ian MacKellen's narration was enthralling, and the story was exciting and interesting.

My 7 year old daughter loved it and kept wanting to listen to more of it, and we, as parents, loved it to.

Fab!

I loved it, fantastically read, but what else would you expect from Sir Ian McKellen!! And the story had me gripped from the very beginning.
I loved how we heard from the wolfs point of view, very clever.
Can't wait to read the other 2 books.

This book is the first in Michelle Paver's Chronicles Of Ancient Darkness series. Set in what is probably ice age Scandinavia, this novel begins the story of Torak, a boy who is abruptly left alone with the death of his father in a hostile environment where survival depends on wits and skill. And Torak's destiny is just beginning. He forms two friendships: Ren, a girl from a neighbouring tribe, and an orphan wolf cub who becomes both companion and guide. The story is told from the view points of all three characters, and from the opening sentence, the author displays a remarkable gift for story telling. The passages from Wolf's point of view are particularly well crafted. Listeners will come to care for Wolf as much as Torak and Ren. The book is dark and gripping with beautiful descriptions and is brought to life wonderfully by Ian McKellen, who lends his voice to the rest of the series too. So begins an unforgettable listening experience. Once you hear this, I guarantee you'll rush to get the others.

Fantastic! It was an extremely pleasant surprise that this is equally appealing for adults and older children. I loved the description offered for the clothing people wore, and the animals and the scenery - it all seemed so real. A very skillful writer and Sir Ian McKellen was the perfect narrator. Excellent.

I thourghly enjoyed this novel, it engaged me right from the start and Sir Ian McKellen's narration made it even more entrancing. I would recommend this to anyone, it has interesting characters and a belivable plot. Download it.

Ian McKellen's entrancing voice helps, certainly, but it is the quality of Michelle Paver's writing that shines through in this unabridged recording of the first in her Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series. Set in a time when men lived as nomadic clans, the story has enough weight to feel like a traditional myth, yet with strong characterization in her lead, Torak, and his friends, Wolf and Ren. The setting will intrigue adults, whilst children will love the adventure and in particular the fantastically described relationship between Torak and Wolf. One of the best audiobooks in this genre.

The book is fantastic, the way it's put into the historical context is fascinating and the characters are dynamic and interesting. The voice over by Ian McKellen is wonderful, really believable. The way he gives each character they're own voice is brilliant, plus his voice is lovely to listen to, he has a very deep voice, definitely recommend!

This is one of the greatest stories I've ever heard. I have the books too. Not since Tolkien have I ever read such a believable work. There is an intense sense of evil and terror in each page. It grips you like an iron clamp. Read and hear it, it's amazing! Ian McKellen's reading is spectacular.