I Am Wolf

By Author / Illustrator

Alastair Chisholm

Genre

Science Fiction

Age range(s)

Publisher

Nosy Crow Ltd

ISBN

9781839945311

Format

Paperback / softback

Expected

09-05-2024

Synopsis

An outstanding, highly original and unputdownable read! This is a bold, thought-provoking adventure perfect for fans of MORTAL ENGINES and THE LAST WILD.

Coll belongs to Wolf. He lives with his crew on a Construct, a huge technological "creature" driven by the crew's combined willpower. Together they roam their world, fighting other Constructs and absorbing them into their own.

But when a new and dangerous Construct attacks them, Coll is thrown clear from Wolf and left behind. Now he must survive life on ground and get back to his crew. He is helped by Rieka, a "Tock" who makes the Constructs work. She promises Coll a way to return, but can she be trusted? And what is she really trying to do...?

When Coll uncovers the truth, it destroys everything he thought he knew about Wolf, the world they live in, and even himself. In a world full of danger, and suddenly without meaning, can he find a way back?

"I loved every page of this gripping, dystopian thriller. Wonderful characters, thrilling action and a unique new world. Now I wish I had my own animal construct!" Kieran Larwood, author of Podkin One Ear. "I wolfed this down... Great MG sci-fi."Darren Simpson, author of Scavengers.

Download Extract

Reviews

Coll lives in Wolf, one of several Constructs, technological creatures, that control the lands and fight each other for territory. Coll is a bit different from the other people on Wolf as he has a prosthetic arm and leg. He feels he is only there because Alpha, who leads Wolf, is his mother. One day, Coll ends up stranded, left behind accidentally by Wolf, and he will do anything to return to the only home he knows. Will he ever find Wolf again and even if he does, will they take him back?

I have no idea why I haven't read any other Alastair Chisholm books before, as I Am Wolf is exactly the sort of book I enjoy, and I thought it was excellent. I was particularly pleased to see it is the first part of a trilogy, so more to come! I have always enjoyed science fiction, and this fits the bill perfectly, with echoes of Mortal Engines (cities that move around and battle each other) and yet an originality all of its own.

Coll is an interesting and flawed character. He is not always nice or kind and patient and often seems to have taken on wolf characteristics in his behaviour. His prosthetic arm and leg also make him different, though these prosthetics are far in advance of anything available now. The other characters (I'm not going to spoil the story by saying too much about them) are also interesting and all of them have unanswered questions about their motives and backgrounds.

The cover by Karitas Gunnarsdottir is both arresting and frightening; the black wolf superimposed on the red background with yellow writing. The chapter headings and inside cover drawings are also extraordinarily powerful and match the story well. There is also a map and who doesn't love a map?

This is a good fit for upper KS2 and I for one can't wait for 'I am Raven'!

240 pages / Reviewed by Jacqueline Harris, teacher