What werewolf novels do you recommend?

The Anita Blake series started out good, but she just went nuts with the sex shit. Way overboard for my taste, too.

An extremely good series to consider is The Hollows by Kim Harrison. She has vamps, werewolves, etc. They’re also pretty humorous, which is a huge plus in my mind.

`I’ll read almost anything with a werecreature in it! Werefoxes/kitsune are my favorites; but on the wolfy side here are a few:
The Wolfen by Whitley Strieber (you may have seen the movies- werewolves as human population control)
Howling Mad by Peter David- a funny book about a wolfwere- a wolf who turns into a human
Blood Trail by Tanya Huff about a werewolf clan
Bitten by Kelley Armstrong- just got this one, so I haven’t read it yet

Kitty and The Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn -about a werewolf disk jockey

@crisw I like anything “werecreature” what are some that you would recommend?

Twilight but it is mainly mostly about vampires if you didn’t already know. Werewolve parts come mostly in the second book

@Tink1113 Not a fan of any of the twilight books. i’m looking for better writing and plots too. (not trying to be rude or anything, just i think very little of those novels)

It’s ok alot of people say that no hard feelings ;)

books of the furry kind? : P

OK- some other possibilities of the vulpine genre:
The Fox Woman by Kij Johnson
When Fox Is a Thousand by Larissa Lai
Fox in the Mist by A. Dee Carey- warning, this is one of the worst written books ever; you’re drawn to it because it’s so bad!

OtherWere: Stories of Transformation is a great collection of short transformation tales.

BTW, this site is a bit out of date, but is a goldmine for were-stories. Here’s a more up to date list.

Patricia Briggs writes some great books about werewolves, vampires and fairies. Her Mercy Thompson novels are very well written. If you like werewolves, you’ll like these. :)

I’ll strongly second Patricia Briggs. Mercy is a skinwalker who can become a coyote, but she hangs with the local werewolves.

@syz: Lurve! The Mercy Thompson novels are some of my favorite books ever!

Sharp Teeth
Its a 300 page epic poem about rival werewolf gangs in LA. Its so damn awesome and it isnt any harder to read being in poem form.

@benjaminlevi Thanks for the recommendation! That seems really interesting. Also, I will definitely be checking out the Mercy Thompson series. Thank you all for the help.

The Wolf’s Hour by Robert McCammon. Werewolves in WWII.

Werewolves in WWII?! That is going on my Amazon wish list RIGHT NOW.

Everyone who has brought up Patricia Briggs is correct. The Mercy Thompson books (by Patricia Briggs) are wonderful!

I also very much enjoyed Blood and Chocolate as a teen.

Honestly I recommend Twilight. Its a great vampire/wolf story. If you havent read it then check it out. And dont believe all the bad things ppl say about it. It isnt true!

No, really. Don’t read Twilight. Seriously.

@MacBean There is Nothing wrong with Twilight. Im so tired of people bashing it for no reason. Let people read the book and make there own opinions about it. If they like it fantastic, if they dont oh well. But its pointless to constantly critisize something just because YOU dont like it. There are plenty of people that do..

@emmy23 There is plenty wrong with Twilight. I read all of the books and watched the movie, just to make sure I wasn’t missing anything and it didn’t get better. And just like you are free to like it and tell people to read it, I am free to find it insipid, poorly-written, damaging to impressionable young people and tell people to steer clear of it.

@emmy23, @MacBean: There is a very serious, very real problem with Twilight. It feeds very wrong ideas to women about what romance is and is potentially incredibly damaging to young women. I’ve heard people say they know it is “just fiction” in one breath, then go on and on about how romantic Edward is in the next. He’s not romantic! He’s scary! It also pushes a number of social agendas that I find offensive.

@EmpressPixie: With all due respect (and I do mean that in the sincerest way I can) people tend to pick on Twilight because of that. But what about all the other books and movies and TV shows that have similar ideas? One of the reasons why I suggested the Mercy Thompson novels is because Mercy is not at all like this. She gets ordered around by her love interest(s) and ignores their advice and then proceeds to save the day (in every single book). Twilight is most certainly not a good example of a healthy relationship, but neither are a lot of other examples floating around out there.

not precisely werewolf books, and hard to find as they went out of print decades ago, but I suggest the Beast trilogy by Robert Stallman.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/robert-stallman/orphan.htm
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/robert-stallman/captive.htm
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/robert-stallman/beast.htm

immediately after having read the first book I immediately set out to write a werewolf book heavily inspired by it, though also very different.

@KatawaGrey: Simply put, because the other books like that are not massive media sensations. I would be equally concerned about these issues in other books if they were massive causing the same amount of hubbub. But I think the frenzy around Twilight just feeds back into reinforcing the morals of the story.

For example, Sunshine is hands down one of my favorite books. It would be a completely horrifying way to start a relationship that, honestly, isn’t healthy and involves a lot of lying and all sorts of other issues. But all my friends aren’t reading it and romanticizing Constantine, no one is saying how selfless and special Rae is, and I haven’t seen t-shirts proclaim one to be for “Team Constantine” or “Team Mel”. It’s just not a media sensation fueling screaming masses who think this behavior is ideal or dreamy.

@EmpressPixie Lurve to you for saving me all of that typing. We appear to be on exactly the same wavelength about this series.

@MacBean and @EmpressPixie Im sorry but I just dont find anything wrong with it. Im not even trying to argue with you guys but its not a bad example for women. Edward is simply protective over her. He doesnt hit her or yell at her or anything. They are living in a world with ALOT of danger and she is always on the hit list it seems. Edward watches over her. I do find the books romantic and the movie is pretty good too. I understand that you dont like it MacBean, but I do alot so I will def stand up for it!!

@emmy23 I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again and I’ll keep repeating it for as long as people stick up for SMeyer’s romanticizing of abusive relationships: if Edward and Bella were real people, she would have absolutely zero trouble taking legal action against him to keep him away from her. My sister is in the midst of a divorce and has a restraining order against her husband because he’s done a couple of things that Edward does in the Twilight series.

Also, I don’t mind the movie. It’s not so ridiculously focused on the shitty abusive relationship, and there’s actually plot foreshadowing from the beginning, instead of all the action being tacked on in the last handful of chapters as an afterthought.

Yes, there. MacBean hit on the issue perfectly. I’ll tack on that your (@emmy23) denial that there is a problem with their relationship is basically my entire problem with the books. Young women are reading the story, gushing over how romantic it is, and failing to realize how incredibly unhealthy it is.

You don’t have to hit someone or yell at them to be in an abusive relationship.

In other news, I picked up Howl at the Moon and On the Prowl by Karen MacInerney at the library the other day and will report back if they are any good.

@emmy23: I PM’ed @EmpressPixie with this comment. Their entire relationship is based on the fact that he wants to EAT HER. I stopped my assessment of the relationship there. Even if he wasn’t controlling and she didn’t turn into putty in his hands, it wouldn’t matter to me. He wants to EAT HER. No relationship based on one member wanting to EAT the other can be a good one.

That’s why Buffy’s relationships never worked, because she kept dating guys who wanted to EAT HER.

[insert lewd comment about “eating” here]

To all of the people I have discussed this with WOW guys, its a book. Lets not get to crazy over all of this. @MacBean, your taking this way to hard. O well if thats your opinion. I will respect it I suppose but it seems as if your taking all of this so personal. @KatawaGrey, you have a point. He is a vampire afterall so its expected for their relationship to be different than how we date. But come on, its a book. No one really believes that Edward Cullen exists and is going to sweep them off their feet. Its all a fantasy. And if some of us like the fantasy, why do cynical people like yourselves have to ruin it for us?

Let us enjoy what we want to without everyone bashing us for it

I love fantasy. I’m very hesitant to bash fantasy. I adore fantasy. It’s when I literally HEAR people say “I want someone JUST LIKE EDWARD” that it starts to bother me. And because I love fantasy, I am extra-concerned when it attracts attention for all the wrong reasons.

Having said that, Howling at the Moon and On the Prowl were decent Werewolf books. They are a mix of chick lit and urban fantasy, if that is what you like (I kind of don’t). There are some really annoying bits where the main character, a high powered auditor, misses really obvious stuff which as an AUDITOR is unlikely, but overall if you want some fun chick lit mixed with werewolves, they are good books and you’d enjoy them.

And if you do read and like them, I also recommend the Weather Warden series, which doesn’t involve werewolves, but has a similar chick-lit/urban fantasy mix.

just to add my two cents in the boiling pot i’m not a fan of twilight either. emmy is aware of this though since it is what spawned our current friendship (an argument over twilight). i find it poorly written and that it gives the wrong impression to our rather impressionable youth. but i love the debate! especially since most are arguing against twilight. :)

@emmy23 Upon reading your last response i just want to point something out in a very nonconfrontational way. movies and novels have such a major impression on people nowadays that it isnt as harmless as it may seem. the novel does portray a certain set of standards about dating and love that arent exactly healthy (like how much they both need each other to survive and how they would die without one another and how life cant go on if they broke up) That sort of mentality only hurts people more than anything. it puts people in this mindset that only leads them to getting either used or hurt…or used and hurt. just making a comment is all…

@EmpressPixie let me know how those books are

@KatawaGrey You made a comment earlier about novels and the relationships they portray…you said something about not all novels suggest healthy relationships and whatnot. the biggest problem with twilight is that it is sooooooo publicized that its putting that unhealthy relationship down everyone’s throat whether you have or have no read the novel or seen the movie so its everywhere. the hype is sooo big that even my mom knows about it and she keeps asking me if people are serious with this and if this is what literature have come to. its everywhere like bad air in California.

In defense of Emmy23, if you look passed the obvious flaws of the novel the plot itself is inventive and different which is rare these days. i feel it could be better written though.

sorry for so many comments…its really late and i keep foregetting things i wanted to add. forgive me please

@bright_eyes00: I do understand that people are so up in arms about twilight because of the publicity, but I think people tend to forget that there are so many bad examples of relationships because of one book. I do agree with you that some parts of Twilight are quite inventive. I was very excited to read about these new interesting vampires that the author created. They can;t go into the sun because they attract humans? Brilliant! The whole idea that vampires can;t survive in the sunlight actually came from the movie Nosferatu which was based on the novel Dracula. The filmmakers knew they couldn’t end the movie the same as the book (because of legal reasons or something like that) so they made a ray of sun make the monster disappear. These new vampires are great, I just wish Bella stuck up for herself more. Example: She really wants to be a vampire but Edward keeps telling her no. Well, it’s her choice. I mean, personally, I wouldn’t want to be a vampire, but who is he to tell her that she can’t? Anyway, yes, I agree that the ideas are interesting, but I also agree that the relationship is a bad one.

@KatawaGrey Being an author myself, I was very interested in this concept. I am working on something that involves vampires but my own version which doesnt differ too much from the historical versions. When i read Twilight it opened my mind to the idea of furthering my own perceptions more, that going against the norm isnt really such a bad thing. Thats pretty much all that I took from those books that was positive. having witnessed horrible/abusive relationships my whole life (whether my own or family members experiences) it touched home a little too much by how much power over her Edward had. Also, the whole complete and utter dependency thing literally made me nauseous recalling my past. It only angered me that younger girls would read these and get the impression that that sort of thing is ok.

@crisw I’m a little embarrassed to say I read Bitten, it’s definitely smutty once it gets going. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you’re up for it, I’m just giving a heads up.

If I recall correctly the plot did end up turning on the lead woman/werewolf’s uterus, so it isn’t exactly feminist either. But there must be feminist smut, right? For all the lascivious feminsts out there.

Ok i need some help.
I have read all the comments on here and couldn’t be helped.
although i have to say ya’ll were fun to read…i like debate too.

I have read bitten and liked the book but i need something with a little more kick to it.
No coyote turning into, just straight up werewolf. And no twilight, read the first book hated the first chapter of the second. I just couldn’t put my faith as a reader into a main character that couldn’t stand up for herself. Im not a feminist, but just the general ideas of people who don’t have backbone dont sit with me right.
So basic need:
main character that has a backbone
great action
mature ok but not a must
werewolf not coyote.

Thanks!!

@TinkBandit You should read the sookie stackhouse novels by Charlain Harris. they have a combination of vampires werewolves fairies and all sorts of other beings. it takes a novel or two to actual plunge into the really supernatural stuff like introducing characters of the two natured but they are great. suspenseful, funny, romantic…plus Sookie (the main character) is all about her indepence and ability to support herself as a strong southern woman. there are other books in my little library that i know are strictly about werwolves…i’ll have to dig one out for you. but i really recommend the sookie stackhouse novels because they are an amazing read.

Umm…go read Lonely Werewolf Girl, by Martin Millar.

It’s sort of like, what if a girl, who is also a werewolf, has normal problems? But not really. I’m not explaining it well. It’s definitely urban fantasy, but it’s very ‘slice of life’ in a way that other books aren’t. For instance, the book ends after one of the major issues has been (sort of) resolved, but it’s not ‘happily ever after’ or anything. It’s just done, because that episode in the main character’s life is done.

It’s really well-written, and involving, and has interesting ideas and theories. And it’s big. I’m a size queen when it comes to books. :)

not going to even get into the whole Twilight thing

Try The Passion by Donna Boyd. She presents werewolves as much more accomplished and aristocratic than a vast majority of fiction that I’ve read concerning them.

In her stories, werewolves are actually a separate species that sort of looks down on humans…pitying us because we’re not quite as evolved as them. They say that breeding with us is impossible…which gives rise, of course, to someone trying to prove they CAN.

Breathtaking series, really.

Thanks Lacroix and Evegrimm. I’ll have to look those up they sound interesting.

I have just started reading “The Passion” by Donna Boyd. All I have to say about it so far is that it is written very well. I can’t say for sure if I will enjoy the book, but I haven’t found a reason not to keep reading it.

The last book I read was “Cry Wolf” by Patricia Briggs and I enjoyed it quite a lot. I have another book by Patricia Briggs on order, after reading it I will post my review. :3

-Looking forward to seeing other reviews and recommendations of werewolf novels! I am book marking this page.

Thanks for revitalizing this Q. Since I last posted here, I’ve been reading the Kitty books which I’m generally enjoying and the Women of the Otherworld books with I’m waffling on, but definitely enjoy the werewolf centric ones.

Patricia Briggs is a pretty good author. I have a couple of hers. I branched out from fantasy novels and have been reading real world stuff about religion and politics. Someone help me for the love of all that is sane! I need some good wolf readings (and i’m definitely not opposed to the steamy stuff either!) I might have to start reading Laurell K. Hamilton again…LOL (thank you guys for bringing this back from the dead! haven’t had good lit. talk in a long time.)

i while ago i read a lori handeland series and its based on werewolves. they were very good and i couldnt stop reading them i lent them to friends and they liked them too. they are romances so it gets steamy, but its a mystery as well. i think you’ll like them

@pooka441 oooo sounds golden! whats the name of the first book? I hate starting a series off on the wrong book :(

I have to say that Patricia Briggs is a very good author. Her books are well written, the plot as well as the characters keep you captive. Douglas R Brown is also a good author, his book Tamed is very creative and well written, also a book that I very much enjoyed was The last werewolf by Glen Duncan. I have to say that unlike Twilight, this book is actually worth reading. It does involve sex, gore, adult language but I think it won’t be offensive based on what you requested. I am an avid reader and very much appreciate literature and based on my taste (Which I consider very good lol) these two books will definitely reach your “Good Werewolf book list”.

@Amethyst28 Thanks! I just read Wolf’s Hour as recommended by @Blondesjon and oh boy, enjoyed it! That would make a great action horror film. So I’m reading Anne Rice’s Wolf Gift these days and now I know the reason for its lackluster reviews. Been skipping pages! Will check out Duncan asap. : )