Daughter tired of reading about vampires ... any good werewolf-based series?

[chorpler]

My 13-year-old daughter is a voracious reader of all kinds of stuff; she's read Harry Potter, the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Gregor the Overlander, Hunger Games, and lots of other fantasy or urban fantasy type books. She also reads Mary Higgins Clark and has read some true-crime books and other mystery-type books.

Also, she's been heavily into vampires in the last couple years, reading books like Twilight, the Vampire Diaries, the Chronicles of Vladimir Todd, the House of Night, and other vampire series.

And of course she's started watching Buffy and Angel (for years she mocked us [me, my wife, and our 11-year-old daughter, who watches and loves everything me and my wife watch] for watching something called "Buffy," but when she finally decided to try it one day she got totally hooked, of course). But those aren't books, which is what I want to ask about.

Anyway ... where was I ...

Oh yeah. Today she told me she's tired of reading vampire books, and she wondered if there were any book series about werewolves instead. I told her the only werewolf-related book that immediately came to mind was the second Dresden Files book, Fool Moon, but that hardly qualified as a werewolf series. I told her she might like those books anyway, and she's going to try them, but in the meantime I thought I'd ask... so ...

Does anybody know of any good werewolf-themed book series that would be suitable for a 13-year-old girl?

Stuff without too many sex scenes and excessive profanity, preferably, since she is only 13, after all ... but a few naughty words and naughty scenes are fine, I would imagine ... okay, I just asked her if sex scenes and swearing were okay, and she gave me an exasperated look and said "Yes! I'm not a TWO-YEAR-OLD, you know!"

So, with all that in mind ... any recommendations? If not werewolves, how about other supernatural/monster book series?

[Hunter Hawk]

Werewolves don't seem to lend themselves to being protagonists, and I don't know of any werewolf-themed series.

Regarding the "other supernatural/monster" series, a couple of random thoughts:

The Witches of Karres by James H. Schmitz. Not a series, but SF with psi powers. This is a classic of juvenile SF, and is well worth reading even as an adult. Schmitz also wrote the "Telzey Amberdon" series of short stories; this is more SF-with-psi-powers.

The Elfin Ship and its sequels by James P. Blaylock. It's hard to describe--sort of cheerful fantasy about a guy who goes adventuring and has run-ins with some dangerous-but-not-too-dangerous supernatural opponents.

Possibly the "Jules de Grandin" series of short stories by Seabury Quinn, if you can find them. They are, frankly, pretty lousy--Sherlock Holmes pastiches about a detective and his doctor companion who keep meeting the monster-of-the-week. They're pretty forgettable, but if your daughter isn't too discriminating they might be ok.

"The Compleat Werewolf" by Anthony Boucher is a short story that has one of the few werewolf protagonists that I'm aware of.

[Rala]

I don't know of any series, but I can recommend a few books.

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause. I read it when I was a few years older than your daughter and really liked it. A werewolf pack is forced to relocate to the suburbs. The protagonist, the late leader's teenage daughter, falls in love with a human boy. The ending is not what you'd expect.

The Wolving Time by Patrick Jennings. A peaceful family of werewolves are persecuted by their village priest in 16th century France.

Barking by Tom Holt. This one might be a little too old for her. There's no sex and not a lot of swearing, but the protagonist is a thirty year old lawyer, so ... yeah. There are also vampires and unicorns. It's funny, but not in a silly way.

Terry Pratchett's Discworld series has a werewolf character, Angua von Uberwald. She appears in most of the books that focus on the City Watch. The Fifth Elephant includes a lot about her and her family.

That's all I can think of for now. If I remember others, I'll come back.

[Khadaji]

The word good is a relative thing...

Patricia Briggs has the Mercy Thompson series, light, easy to read urban fantasy. Technically speaking Mercy is not a werewolf, but instead a shifter. There are plenty of werewolves in it though.

And several of the books from Kelly Armstrong feature werewolves? However she alternates the protagonists and so some of the series features others.

[Malleus, Incus, Stapes!]

Was going to recommend the Mercy Thompson books, but Khadaji beat me to it.

So, uh, +1.

[AuntiePam]

Cheri Scotch's werewolf trilogy, starting with The Werewolf's Kiss would be suitable for a 13-year-old. The books are out of print, but there are used copies at Amazon. There was almost a cult following for awhile and copies were pricey (I sold my paperbacks for $20 each when I was finished with them), but it looks like they were reprinted and the reprints are reasonably priced.

More adult but still okay for a teenager -- Donna Boyd's novels, The Passion and The Promise.

Also The Wolf's Hour by Robert McCammon -- Nazis and werewolves. It's been awhile since I read it but McCammon's usually safe for teens.

Darker Than You Think by Jack Williamson is a bit dated (references to what things cost in the 50's, women wearing furs, etc.) and it's about shapeshifters rather than werewolves, but it's a fine book.

[Sigmagirl]

This one was good: Wolfbreed by S.A. Swann. It's Book One in the series, and there aren't any more yet, but they are coming. The werewolf is a female and, like one of Rala's recommendations, falls in love with a human boy. Might be too advanced for a 13-year-old, but you know her best. Publisher's Weekly gave it a starred review:

Religion and political intrigue turn an adolescent werewolf into a killing machine in this compelling novel of 13th-century Northern Europe. Eighteen-year-old Lilly is superhumanly strong, vulnerable only to silver and trained to help Christians subdue unrepentant pagans. When she slaughters a dozen Christian soldiers and flees into the wilderness, Uldolf, the son of Johnsburg's last pagan chieftain, takes her in. As they come to terms with their histories, the knight Erhard von Stendal comes to hunt Lilly down. Lilly's struggle to reconcile her split personalities—cold assassin and lonely girl—becomes a quest for redemption and love as she endures rape, amnesia and the knowledge of her own terrible actions in the church's service. Swann (Prophets) turns opposing viewpoints into sympathetic perspectives, clearly painting the complex political and religious dynamics of the time.

[elfkin477]

I think you need to pre-read them given her age - due to some sex/violence - but I like the Women of Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong a lot; one of the main protagonists is a kickass female werewolf. However, one of the most appealing things about it to me is the fact that Elena is 30, which might not be so interesting to a teenager. Then again, one of the focal characters starts out in book two as a 12-year-old witch, so...

But in the non-series vein, she really has to read Need by Carrie Jones. It's easily the best YA fantasy book I've read over the past five years, and it features not only werewolves but pixies too. A sequel is supposed to be out this year.

If she's just tired of vampires, would she be open to other sorts of Urban Fantasy? Holly Black has a great YA urban fantasy trilogy (Tithe/Valiant/Ironside) about the fae, and again you might want to pre-read but there's also War For The Oaks by Emma Bull which every urban fantasy fan should read.

[Little Nemo]

If you can get them, I'd recommend Robert Stallman's Beast trilogy: The Orphan, The Captive, and The Beast. But they've all been out of print for about twenty years.

[Sundrop]

Lilith Saintcrow's Jill Valentine series heavily features were critters, particularly as the love interest of the protagonist. The odd sex scene is relatively tame.

Probably want to keep her away from the Anita Blake stuff though.

[redtail23]

I don't have any YA werewolf suggestions, but she might give Andre Norton's Witch World books a try.

[Surly Chick]

Has she read the Percy Jackson books yet? Not werewolves but still fantasy.

[KatiRoo]

Cassandra Clare's City of Bones (and its followup volumes, City of Ashes and City of Glass) are v good YA stories with a number of werewolves, vampires, and other assorted weirdies in them.

[elfkin477]

Originally Posted by Sundrop

Probably want to keep her away from the Anita Blake stuff though.

Surprisingly, there's no sex in the first six or so books. LKH took a few books before she started writing erotic fanfiction of her own work.

[Green Bean]

The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub is a great read. Our hero acquires an awesome werewolf sidekick along the way.

As far as I can remember, it would be appropriate for a 13 year old.

[devilsknew]

Although, it's not strictly a Werewolf story, I think Cabal is Clive Barker's take on the classic werewolf story or theme.

It is an adult novel, so there is that, and frankly I'd be of the mind to introduce my Children to Barker with Weaveworld- A truly great and soaring fantasy novel of strange and luxurious imaginings, it also has a shapeshifter (Nimrod) so maybe that counts as Werewolf-like?

There's also the Classic Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells, once again, not strictly a werewolf story

[Taomist]

The Cheysuli series may appeal to her.
Again, not werewolves, but shapeshifters, including wolves; I liked the stories so much, I wanted to keep writing more after the author stopped. Suitable for 13; strong themes concerning loyalty, faith <more AmerInd spiritualism than anything else>, and comradeship, right vs wrong, and how easily wrong can seem right; the usual, but done well, I think.

They've been reprinted in paperback omnibusses, which is much easier than trying to track them down one at a time through Ebay <which I did at one point, some time ago>.

http://www.amazon.com/Shapechangers-...5771421&sr=8-2

[devilsknew]

The Wolfen and The Hunger by Whitley Strieber were adultish Werewolf and Vampire books that were quite the rage when I was her age. Seems like every teacher or the kids I knew in Junior High were reading these as Pulp Horror... of course they became awesome movies as well.

[BrainGlutton]

I recommend Jim Butcher's second Dresden Files novel, Fool Moon. Features four distinct kinds of werewolves!

[devilsknew]

Speaking as an old fogey- frankly, I believe the Vampires and Werewolves of "Modern" Literature are horrible, infantilized, and romanticized grotesqueries not worthy of a silver bullet.

[BrainGlutton]

Wikipedia has a page on Werewolf fiction, book and film. Interesting: The oldest written instance given is Petronius Arbiter's Satyricon.

[elfkin477]

Originally Posted by elfkin477

But in the non-series vein, she really has to read Need by Carrie Jones. It's easily the best YA fantasy book I've read over the past five years, and it features not only werewolves but pixies too. A sequel is supposed to be out this year.

I missed the mark: the sequel came out last month. It's called Captive.

[BrainGlutton]

Originally Posted by elfkin477

But in the non-series vein, she really has to read Need by Carrie Jones. It's easily the best YA fantasy book I've read over the past five years, and it features not only werewolves but pixies too. A sequel is supposed to be out this year.

Pixies?!

Oh, grow up!



From a classic Hagar the Horrible cartoon

[devilsknew]

RAWHEAD REX - werewolf as demon shortstory from Vol. 3 of Clive Barker's Book of Blood.

[Khadaji]

Originally Posted by BrainGlutton

I recommend Jim Butcher's second Dresden Files novel, Fool Moon. Features four distinct kinds of werewolves!

You mean the book mentioned in the OP?

[Nightingale]

The Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews has lots of werecreatures, not to mention a kickass heroine and a decent plot. There's some sexual tension between the main characters but nothing too explicit, and I don't recall a ton of bad language either. Of all the urban fantasy novel I've read these are my favorites (and I've read plenty).

[Snickers]

Originally Posted by Green Bean

The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub is a great read. Our hero acquires an awesome werewolf sidekick along the way.

As far as I can remember, it would be appropriate for a 13 year old.

Ooh, good call, Green Bean. Another fantastic Stephen King book (but alas, without any werewolves) is The Eyes of the Dragon. Entirely appropriate for a 13 year old. And my favorite Stephen King book.

[Atrael]

I suggest the Kitty Norville series. I don't recall much sex in it, and the language is adult, but not crude...if that makes sense.

[Khadaji]

Originally Posted by Atrael

I suggest the Kitty Norville series. I don't recall much sex in it, and the language is adult, but not crude...if that makes sense.

I knew I was forgetting a series. Yes, they're not too bad either.