Book Review: Treason (Wolf Prints), by Kimberlee Long

Christian werewolf fiction is an under-appreciated genre, especially in the YA area. If there’s a reason for that, the fault doesn’t lie with the first volume of the Wolf Prints series. Keen attention to detail and strong supporting characters build strong, believable dynamics . . . while a less than original lead actor leaves the book lacking a little fire. Christian fantasy is all about walking the fine line between boring and blasphemy, and this story walks it well. This book exemplifies the nuances of that genre, yet still plays it safe.

            The town of Titusville, Florida, brims with detail. Even from the start, readers are treated to descriptions of the town’s “ceramic alligators, UCF banners, and pro-military bumper stickers”. We meet our lead: the dreamy, mysterious Drake Everacre, a name which roughly translated means ‘Dragon of Endless Land’. As male fantasy leads go, he’s got all the wit of Jace Daddyissues from The Mortal Instruments and all the breaking and entering charm of Edward ‘Stalker’ Cullen of Twilight fame. More interesting are Drake’s male foils: Cody, his dimwitted old friend from the wrong side of the tracks, and Steven, a devout Christian struggling to keep Drake’s destructive impulses in check. As the story progresses, we see Drake isn’t just any old asshole—the author is careful to step back and provide other points of view on his actions. He might still be a hero, but he’s not one we’re told to blindly approve of.

            Drake’s come to Titusville to protect it from evil shapeshifters. The lack of these creatures in the narrative slows things down a little, as we’re left without a clear antagonist save the bitchy cheerleaders, lurking like alligators in the swamps. These girls have nothing better to do than plot ways to humiliate the poor Sophia Salina Salgada-Sanchez, whose name made me smile (in a good way). As an albino Latina, Sophia’s got problems everywhere she goes. The dynamics of her large, energetic family bring a touch of realism and warmth to the book, especially in the form of her loving father, who bakes his daughter giant cakes on her birthday and trades his car for a boat so the whole family can go out on the water. Sophia’s struggles with her classmates, however, have a more conventional and two-dimensional feel to them. As a recent high school graduate myself, I know that some of the pranks the ‘popular crowd’ pulls on poor Sophia would get them expelled and barred from colleges.

            High points: the supporting characters: dim Cody, devout Steven, ditzy Elly. They really add power to the story. Sophia’s story. It’s a coming of age story in a town with secrets. The mystery surrounding Drake’s identity. You want to know who this guy is, even if it’s for the sake of everyone else in town and not necessarily him. Christian elements. Steven’s faith and Elly’s struggles ring clearer than almost anything else in this story.

            Low points: Drake’s obsession with Sophia. This reads like Twilight and isn’t very convincing. The cheerleaders. Some of the nicest girls I knew in high school were cheerleaders. Sophia’s black cousin, Trey. From the moment he’s introduced, phrases like “they is to be respected” and “my other black brothers” fly off the page (as well as multiple mentions of his mother’s fried chicken). Lack of a clear antagonist. Save for a creepy woman trying to lure Sophia on a boat, there is none. Grammar. The word High School grates on my eyes—not a proper noun. Cliffhanger ending. None of the major plot threads are concluded, which feels like a cheap way to lure the reader into buying a sequel.

            Did I like this book? Yes. Would I read it again? Maybe. Would I recommend it to the target demographic (Christian teens who read fantasy)? Yes. It wasn’t a bad book. It just needs more to really stand out. My rating? In the Christian YA fantasy category, I’d give it four and a half stars out of five. As a novel? Three and a half. 

--Liz Ellor, O43

Download this book here: http://www.amazon.com/Treason-Wolf-Prints-ebook/dp/B008ENPEGU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1342559134&sr=1-1&keywords=Kimberlee+long