Journal Entry: Predictions

I had many predictions for this story, and it's safe to say most of them were wrong. Although to be honest, I am quite glad they were. I hated having the feeling that I knew how the book was going to end and I was barely half way through it. fortunately, the author has a talent for making everything seem one way and then completely turn it around to another direction on you. It was quite thrilling as I kept reading through too see how my predictions were entirely wrong. Especially in the last few chapters did I come to realize that there was a whole plot to this novel that I had never even thought of before.

How were my predictions different? Well to say as much without giving to much away might be difficult, but I'll try. All in all, there were four characters that the novel generally revolved around. Vali, Feileg, Adisla, and The Witch Queen. They are all apart of a huge prophecy that has to do with the Fenris Wolf and Odin, and how that prophecy plays itself out on earth time and time again. I got their roles in the prophecy messed up quite a bit, for the author did a great job of leading you on one way only to smack you in the other direction! The near the end you find out some interesting information about the God's "dreams" and how they can actually dream themselves on earth, and they will actually be born, live, and die on earth. All without even knowing who they are. I found this very interesting, if a little confusing at that. That part plays into some of the main characters though as you find out near the end, it was something I certainly didn't expect though. If I said I was not pleased with how the resolution was, or how my predictions were wrong, I'd be a liar. This book was most definitely a great find, and the author along with it.

Journal Entry: Experiances

I know quite a few other books that are both alike and very different than this one. I read lots of fantasy novels that my dad has owned since he was my age, as well as ones that I've started to collect as well. I'm currently reading another historical fiction series on vikings as well, and they do have their similarities. Of course they all love their longboats, as well as the sea. I always admire how much work and care they take with their ships, everything is perfect on it. Even after a battle they will begin immediately cleaning the deck off so as not too "upset" the ship. True dedication to a craft I think. What is different however in the novels though is how their mythology plays into it. In Wolfsangel the Gods play a much more direct role, the characters actually meet them at some point and talk with them. In the other series though, the Gods are more just a religious symbol. sure they worship them and have necklaces with their signs on it, but the characters never actually meet one, or the Gods never actually take on a human form to communicate with the mortals that is.

This book reminds me of some things in my life, mainly stuff that anyone could relate too though. For instance Vali and his inner-beast, I do relate to that. Sometimes, like Vali, I just can't control it. I've mention in a different journal that me and Vali are a lot alike, and this is one of those things too. As well as Vali impressing the girl he eventually falls in love with. He was a prince and she was a common girl, but she didn't make it any easier for him, if anything she was harder. Although I'm no prince, I certainly got a laugh out of that. Since it was no simple task for me either to get to where I am now with the girl I'm with.

Journal Entry: Evaluation

They're were many things in this novel that the author did that I liked most definitely. With only minor things I didn't appreciate, if only because it was saddening for me in some way. For example of a dislike, half-way through the novel, he was the main character Vali go on a rampage during a battle scene, and ends up killing his best friend Bragi. Simply because he was there. I for one liked Bragi, he was funny, and had been Vali's saving grace and a faithful friend throughout the whole novel. I just felt he deserved a more heroic death, but I guess that's not always how it happens. So I understood the realism in his untimely death as well. They were things I liked as well though, many things. I love how the author could keep you hooked from the first chapter to the last, and even with his last page he left you begging for more! He could easily write a sequel, although it would be a little repetitive as the plot revolves around a prophecy that plays itself over and over again. The thrill throughout the whole book never died, it only changed in amounts. The author has a knack for building up the suspense in various ways, and then somehow unleashing it on you with a chain reaction of different events. I enjoyed it so much. There was no pause in between to catch my breath for whats next, it just kept coming and coming.

If I were to compare this book to others I have read, it would most certainly rank up near the top. I've read many books by many authors and they all have their unique qualities and aspects. None of them however had the same grip that this book has had on my from the first chapter. Most books I've read have had to take time to build up, and those beginning chapters were always a bore. This one however had me from the start! It was hard to put the book down in the store so I could actually buy it, let alone leave it alone for school or other commitments. I'm currently reading another viking series at the moment, and they match up as far as their life-styles and actions go. They all love their boats for sure, treat them like children even. For their lives can very well depend on their ship when put out to sea. It's safe to say that although I've read many books, this one has stood out from the rest in certain ways, and I'm quite glad it has.

Journal Entry: Questions

What made this book special? There are many things. I think what truly had me attached from chapter one, was the promise of danger and mystery that seemed too leap off the page with every paragraph. There was no soft side to this novel, not a place in the book where you could feel calm about whats going on. You are pulled into the action and you just can't seem to get free. Although I never wanted too be. I loved how the book always had a sense that there was something behind the curtain just waiting to be revealed. I think what made this book special as well was the personality of the characters. I felt like I could actually meet someone like them in real life. It was almost like meeting a new group of friends. This book made you feel their pain, their joy, and their loss along with them.

My favourite character in the novel was Vali, and coincidentally he was apart of my favourite scene as well. To start off, Vali was my favourite character because he was the one I felt I could most relate too. We share a dry sense of humour that other characters in the book always we're irritated by, not too mention our sarcasm. Not only do we have things in common, but he is someone I might aspire to be more like as well. As for my favourite scene, it would be near the end of the book, when Vali finally succumbs to his destiny completely and becomes the Fenris Wolf. I like it so much because it had been the scene I was waiting for the entire book, I wanted to see what would be the after-effect, what would happen, would he change back? Safe to say I wasn't disappointed. He attacked a whole village of tribesmen who were actually trying to summon him! How stupid eh? Anyways, he attacked them because they also had Adisla, the girl he loves. Some part, no matter how small, was still Vali and he knew he needed to save her. I was so excited by the prospect of what she would say when she saw him. If she would fear him completely, or perhaps even see past the beast and still know it's Vali.

And as much as that's my favourite scene, the conclusion was still something to remember. It was so unexpected, so surprising! I had never even thought of it being a possibility till I read it. Not that I'm complaining about that. The conclusion certainly made lots of things make even more sense, and added a twist to things that certainly made all the suspense through the book come to a satisfying climax in my opinion.

Journal Entry: Quotations

They are many parts in this book that I would consider to be excellent writing, but if I had to narrow it down to one, It would most certainly be the scene of Vali drowning himself in the mystical swamp to try and contact Odin. The author described in detail four whole days and nights of Vali being drowned in that swamp. I feel this way because during this chapter, it is almost like YOU are laying right down beside him drowning in the cold murky water. I could almost feel the bonds of rope tied around my wrists and ankles to keep me from fight back. Like I was the one begging and crying for mercy from friends who kept throwing me back in the water, in spite of knowing it's what I needed to do. The waves of pain and suffering seems to be crashing against me like waves as I read this scene once, twice, and three times.

There is a quote at the very start of the book that I thought was an insightful and interesting to start the novel. "The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being - and who is willing to destroy a piece of their own heart?" It was a great way to start the book in my opinion, definitely set the right kind of tone that the author played off of during the whole novel. It relates very well to real life and the novel, for there have been great people who have stooped to evil things indeed. As for the novel, Vali starts out as the hero in search of his captured loved one, he is "innocent" in a sense. Only to turn on his friend half way and kill him without even a moments pause. It just goes to show that no matter how virtuous you are, no matter how righteous your cause. Everyone has that inner-animal, their dark side, that is just dying to get out to control us, and if we are not careful, that is exactly what it will do.

Journal Entry: Characters

The main characters in my story are Vali, Bragi, The Witch Queen, Felieg, and Adisla. I liked all of them, I could believe that there are people out there really like them, perhaps they were the author’s inspiration for them even, (minus the supernatural features of one or two characters). Although some more than others. Vali was ultimately my favourite, although it wasn’t until things got interesting for him in the plot that I took an interest in his character.

There were many changes throughout the story, especially for Vali. During the story Vali was slowly but surely being woven into a prophecy that is as old as the gods. He starts to acquire animal traits, consisting of far eyesight, highly acute hearing, tracking by scent, and later an insatiable thirst for blood during the story. All of this ultimately leading to him becoming the Fenrisulfr, otherwise known as the Fenris Wolf, the child of Loki destined to kill Odin on Ragnarok.

Feileg is Vali’s brother, although I do not believe either of them ever finds out during the novel, although the quickly find out after meeting that their lives had been tightly woven together. Feileg was a barbarian of sorts, but is now known as a Wolf-man. Taken from his mother shortly after birth by the witches, he was given over to the barbarian tribes in the north to be raised until a proper age when they had something bigger planned for him. Around age 7, his father, also the clan chief, led him on a journey far away from home, out into the wilderness during mid-winter. His father left him there all alone. Within a short time however, Felieg was found by a pack of wolves. Feileg was ready to fight for his life when the pack leader walked up to him, although he was no wolf, it was a man with the fur and hide of a wolf across his body with the head of it fitting perfectly as a mask on his face. Feileg was brought up for the rest of his child-hood and teen years in the pack, becoming ever stronger and ever more like a wolf himself. Until one day he becomes like the first Wolf-man he met that day, donning his own wolf pelt and forgetting most of what was the human side of him. He continued as such throughout the story until he met his unknown brother Vali and a girl Adisla with whom he fell in love with. He started to remember his family with the barbarians and started to act like a human, although he never truly became one again in the novel.

My opinion of all these characters varies from one to the other. I think they are all sadly unlucky in the end, and if you read this novel you will find out why. The Witch Queen on the other hand, I respect her in the sense that she is a good leader, and underwent many hard trials including fasting for months, being submerged up to her neck in cold water for a week, or being left in the tundra for days on end, to become as powerful as she is. She is terribly cruel at that though, but I can’t entirely blame her.

Journal Entry: Reactions

My reactions to this book varies from chapter to chapter in some ways. The author did a very good job of getting you into a mind set where you think you know exactly how it's going to play out, just so he can rip the carpet from underneath you and leave you astounded. The main characters,particularly Vali, played a big part as well. As I read through this novel Vali showed sides of himself that you would never expect from a protagonist or "good" guy. The pure savagery of the scenes kept me turning the pages, and the mysticism of the characters and plot had me re-reading paragraphs just to experience it again.

As for this book in general, I definitely feel it is worth your money and attention. It took me 3 days to finish this book, I read it for about 3-5 hours a day. Not because I had nothing else to do, but simply because this book captivates you from the start! Immediately you're thrown into the action and once you have tasted it, you will not be able to get enough. This book has a sense of mystery to it that keeps you in suspense all the way to the end, and you enjoy it along the way. There's no obvious answer in this book, and the saying "expect the unexpected" could be used to describe every chapter in it.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has a passion for fantasy and/or historical fiction novels. Especially those of you who like werewolf tales. This book has a unique take on it that had me quite impressed by the end. One day I have a feeling I might just pick this book up again and relive all the excitement I've experienced over the course of reading this book.

Journal Entry: Mood

I had a feeling of exhilaration throughout my novel. The author really did a good job of making you feel like you were right there beside the characters through all their adventures and trials. Although the mood does change over the course of the novel. It starts out dark but showing many signs of promise for our main characters, specifically Vali. Soon though,it shifts, as everything changes after Vali meets his brother, Feileg. A ship of raiders attacks the village where his loved one is captured, and the village survived barely by the leadership of Val. And his reward is him and his friend being branded outlaws by the king who was really to blame for this mess. I felt a wave of despair wash over me as it seemed slowly but surely that all hope was being lost for Vali to save his loved one. So the mood had switched from being a hopeful and happy-filled novel of sitting by a hearth with family. To Vali, Bragi, and Feileg, have to escape for their lives from the land, and search in desperation over seas to find Vail's loved one, Adisla. I was excited by the prospect of a great adventure about to unfold along with an ancient prophecy I had been getting hints at throughout this novel having to do with the Fenris Wolf.

An exciting part in my novel that I remember quite well is when Vali succumbs to his inner-animal side,and tears apart to ships of armed men, ripping them limb from limb. Although the excitement for me was short lived, for quickly after the battle was over, Vali soon finds out that in the heat of all the carnage, he had torn out the throat of his best friend Bragi as well. The mood was sad for a great period of time, as Vali was mourning the loss of his friend.Then eventually Vali snapped out of it, only to become consumed by a rage like no other.

A part that you might find most mysterious, and interesting. Has to do with a sacred swamp that is used to reach the god Odin to speak with him. In order to do this however, you must drown in the swamp. Vali in all his stubborness and love decides to undergo this trial to help him find an answer. Although things do not turn out to be so easy, for there is only a chance that Odin will answer your call if he feels the need is pure and great. Vali had his friends drag him into that swamp kicking and begging for mercy, for 4 days straight. I found this part in the novel to be truly amazing in that even though his suffering was great, his love for Adisla was greater still. I could almost feel the pain pulsing out of the novel at me, making the mood most dark indeed.

Wolfsangel

I chose this book because it's about Norsemen (Vikings) and I've always had a fascination with them as they are part of my heritage.