I am Wolf

Science fiction always seems such a refreshing change from the ever-present fantasy novels that fill our bookshelves and Alistair Chisholm has shown us his skill in this genre with his acclaimed previous stand-alone novels such as Orion Lost and Adam-2. But with I am Wolf we are presented with the first book in what will become a trilogy. As with any trilogy, the first volume must carry the burden of world building and create characters that make you want to read further and this he achieves magnificently. At first, fans of Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines might see some similarity in a futuristic world where huge technological Constructs fight for territory, but these giant machines are fascinatingly different to Traction Cities. The crew of each construct has a symbiotic relationship with their mechanical beast, which is powered by their psychological strength as a united consciousness. As an individual you are subsumed to the collective by the power of faith and belief. But our central character, Coll, feels pushed aside and overlooked because of his limb difference, which is authentically and sensitively represented, and he is desperate to fit in. He finds it hard to believe that Wolf, when threatened by another Construct, would abandon the small group scavenging for resources on the ground, and can only think of pursuing and rejoining Wolf. His accidental companions, Reika, who actually wanted to leave Wolf to find a better world and Fillan, a boy originally from Boar and rescued from a land settlement by Coll, and Brann, a refugee from a defeated Raven who they pick up in the course of their perilous journey, might have other ideas. But for now, they stick together, and we see Coll start to question who he believes himself to be and all that he has valued. As they confront the harsh realities of this world, we see Coll begin to realise his  own talents and strengths, as well as to appreciate those around him. The character development and the interplay of their relationships is so well done that the reader is definitely left eager to spend more time with them in the volumes to come. This is a fast-paced, thrilling adventure  that will excite and enthrall readers, but with the added depth of some intriguing psychological and philosophical issues to think about and discuss.