First off, the star rating system is far too unclear. Four stars - to me- mean that this is a really good book! Buy it and you won't be sorry, particularly if you have avoided fantasy fiction based on RPG settings because of past disappointments. Paizo Publishing is blessed with good writers both internally and under contract, and their quality shows in "Prince of Wolves." Mr. Gross' prior work, "Hell's Pawns", though as comfortable serialized in the "Council of Thieves" adventure path as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar vacationing at Procrustes' Bed and Breakfast, was compelling enough to make me want to explore his work further. "Prince of Wolves" is a well crafted and well written adult story. It was engrossing from start to finish.
"Prince of Wolves" is the story of Varian Jeggare, nobleman detective, and his rough trade hellspawn bodyguard, Radovan. They travel to the haunted land of Ustalav in search of a member of Jeggare's organization, the Pathfinders, who has disappeared on the trail of a mysterious relic. Their voyage takes a sharp left turn and the two are forced to struggle on their own through a land rife with intrigue, cults, and monsters.
The story is revealed in alternating first person, with Radovan and Jeggare as narrators. Radovan's casual voice is easy to read, while some may struggle with Jeggare's dry, pedantic style. But for a nobleman to whom "I'm glad you're not dead" is an embarassingly effusive outburst of emotion, the style is perfect. Those accustomed to easy-read adventure stories may find this offputting, but this is a book, not a movie. The reader is expected to invest some effort into the reading in return for a richer and more rewarding experience than being spoon-fed entertainment.
The book takes us through a land much like those in the old vampire and werewolf movies, and the author gives those classic movies a friendly nod in several places. He slyly lulls the reader into believing they know what comes next, just before events take off in unexpected ways - a nice bit of misdirection. Mr. Gross makes the lands and the characters come alive, masterfully handling descriptions of monsters and magic so they flow naturally into the story, yet are completely accessable to a reader unfamiliar with Paizo's Golarion setting.
On the downside, part of Varian Jeggare's narration is forced into 'tell' mode rather than 'show' mode so every reader understands where the story is taking place and why. The action bogs down for a while in a morass of new names and places. This is a brief lull before the book regains its generally lively footing. One disclosure at the end seemed out of the blue, but upon rereading of the last two chapters, the foreshadowing was there, but subtle. Mr. Gross is more fair to his readers than Conan Doyle ever was, allowing the audience enough information to figure things out for themselves, or at least come close to an explanation. The few motivational questions or loose threads that appear are answered or woven in nicely. The author does not shy from descriptions of violence, sex, and gore, though they are handled tastefully.
I look forward to more Pathfinder Tales and anything from Mr. Gross.
