The First Wolf Pack: A Dog’s Fable, by J. Daniel Reed
Terra 3 Communications LLC
November 15, 2021
Paper,
ebook, 220 pp.
Fiction
$5.95
ebook, $11.95 paper
Buy
on Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/First-Wolf-Pack-Dogs-Fable-ebook/dp/B09LZ9KY6T
About the Book
An exciting and emotional journey into the ancient history
of man and the wolf to discover the genesis of tolerance, cooperation, and
loyalty.
Immerse yourself in the intelligence, wisdom, and majesty of the wolf as you
journey through wolf-history heretofore unknown by humanity. Discover what
every dog knows about the true beginnings of human civilization. You will find
yourself wondering if it really did happen this way.
It was the age of the lone wolf, an ancient time of isolation and hostility.
When Arn and Versa, two of the most powerful wolves to ever roam the earth,
clash in a mighty battle lasting two days and two nights they collapse on the
battlefield, virtually drained of life. Only by helping each other can they
survive certain death. Forced to trust each other, they overcome the poisoned
blood of the lone wolf and forge a super-partnership never before enjoyed by
any other carnivore.
Fully healed, they become The First Wolf Pack, a hunting machine dominating all
lands they choose. Lone wolves, pressed to survive, form alliances in an
attempt to destroy The First Wolf Pack. While their adversaries assemble, Arn
and Versa must teach their extraordinary offspring the secrets of pack life.
For The First Wolf Pack to survive, the most gifted of their young offspring,
Tria, must grow up quickly, battling countless foes and her own deep flaws.
Soon she becomes the invincible wolf others fear; destroying all enemies in her
path, but her spirit remains empty and broken. Suffering great internal
struggles to overcome her unparalleled power, brutality, and suspicious nature,
Tria must learn to forgive and trust those who misunderstood her.
She embarks on an epic sojourn across continents and time in an attempt to
change the course of wolf, dog, and human history. But the question remains—can
she fulfill the improbable destiny that awaits her?
The legend is shared by the narrator, a British dog named Bingley, who has been
granted the right to speak “human” by the great wolf spirit. Discover how The
First Wolf Pack created The Wolf Ways and, in the process, how wolves and
humans came together to create the ancestors of modern dogs.
My Review:
J Daniel Reed’s tale of The First Wolf Pack draws the reader into an imaginary world of two mighty predators who must decide to survive together or fight to the death.
When
an accidental hunting convergence brings two of the ancient great wolfs into
mortal combat, they realize they are so equally matched they must use their
great intelligence to seek a common goal: survival. Versa and Arn begin to care
for each other and together derive the Wolf Ways.
Told
in the manner of the great sagas, the narrator, a contemporary dog named Bingley,
reveals the secret of contemporary dog heritage to his audience. Bingley’s tale
is filled with lofty wisdom and bits of advice on how to be a family, not just
any family but the best at parenting, the best at sharing the role of alpha
couple in a pack, the best at finding nutritious food and cooperation—the first
Wolf Way. Versa and Arn are notably the first at many things, including digging
an inground den in which to raise their first litter.
As
the family grows into the First Pack, Versa and Arn form the first wolf
council, the Magnificent Ones, and establish the first Wolf Utterance. Soon the
offspring grow toward maturity and ponder their parents’ ways. Why do they
prosper and live in a pack and work together and not fight like the lone
wolves? When an intruder is assimilated into the alpha family, they teach him
their ways. The story occasionally lapses into buzzable page-turning moments
such as when Versa turns to Arn and asks, “Are you as amazed at this crazy,
unique life we created? There are no lone wolves who live like we or that know
what we know.”
Maturity
has its leaps and drawbacks, and as the pups reach adulthood, the alpha
offspring male and female must be driven off to begin their own pack. Jett soon
finds his mate and begins a family even while he and his sister Tria maintain a
close relationship and develop wolf speak, which humans foolishly call howling.
Eventually
other lone wolves outside the First Pack hatch a plot to attack, and the
scattered family packs reunite hoping initially to make peace and teach the
others the Wolf Ways. However, the alpha daughter, Tria, suffers from hatred,
or poisoned blood, and her turmoil and anger threaten her brother’s young
family and the First Pack with her vigilante ways. It takes her father to remind
her of her greatness and uniqueness and why she’s driven. “Only you, daughter,
share our genes, strength, and cleverness,” he tells her, “and only you can
teach the wolf ways.” The advice changes his daughter’s heart, much like taking
a Dale Carnegie class, the narrator explains.
The
battle ensues between the First Pack and their friends, and the lone wolves who
align with malicious creatures to attack the First Pack. Find out if the First
Pack can maintain its integrity and survive against these as well as strange
new odds.
The author has created a legend, an epic saga the likes of Gilgamesh, Beowulf, or other Norse legends of old, even faintly reminiscent of Eden and the first humans. We learn how humans and wolves intertwine. Those who love poring over those tales will thoroughly enjoy The First Wolf Pack: A Dog’s Fable.
About J. Daniel Reed
J. Daniel Reed (Joe) is an independent real estate investor
and author. His new novel is The First Wolf Pack: A Dog’s Fable, the legendary
journey of wolf, dog, and mankind.
After a successful career in commercial real estate, Joe has
spent the last year exploring his love of creative writing. In The First Wolf
Pack: A Dog’s Fable, Joe combines his writing talents with his deep knowledge
and respect for dogs, wolves, other animals, and nature.
Born on the Northwest side of Chicago, into a three-generation household, he was raised by a committee—grandparent, parents, and three older siblings.
Joe lives in suburban Chicago with his wife, Barbara and
their Bouvier des Flandres, Keera. When not writing, he loves outdoor
photography, taking walks with Keera, nature hikes, gardening, birdwatching,
cooking, and grilling.
