# Please--Books With A Positive View Of Werewolves & Other Lycanthropic Beings? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 24, 2004, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912 "2004-01-24T23:50:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ave\_Minerva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@Ave\_Minerva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ave_Minerva)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/21 "2004-01-25T15:30:29Z")
\*Drinking Midnight Wine \* by Simon R Green isn’t about werewolves per se, but there is a pretty cool werewolf in the story who is one of the good guys. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/22 "2004-01-25T17:29:19Z")
Like **Avalonian** , I immediately thought of **The Talisman**. Not all the “wolfs” in the book are good, but the one that we become most familiar with is very good indeed. I cried when he died ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/23 "2004-01-25T18:10:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by Baldwin > Poul Anderson wrote several novels set in an alternate history in which magic works logically and is understood as a branch of physics. The protagonist is a werewolf, married to a witch. > > The first one would be Operation Chaos. I know I have read another one set in an universe where Shakespearian plays were history, but the title escapes me at the present time (and I’m too tired to go looking Thanks! And the book you mentioned is _A Midsummer’s Tempest_, which involves the supernatural peoples from both “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “The Tempest” in the English Civil war (in an alternate history in which all of Shakespeare’s plays are literal history). ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/24 "2004-01-25T19:23:01Z")
Yep, **Baldwin** , that was the one I was thinking about. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/25 "2004-01-25T20:12:13Z")
> [@detop](#): > > and Robert McCammon _The Wolf’s Hour_ Was that the one about a werewolf who was a WWII British agent or something? ---
**Author:** ![SJSB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@SJSB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SJSB)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/26 "2004-01-25T21:44:41Z")
You could try a book by Sparkle Hayter, called **“Naked Brunch”**. I don’t know if it is quite along the lines of what you are looking for, but I read it last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is quite amusing in parts, but just a great novel on the whole, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/27 "2004-01-25T22:39:42Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Was that the one about a werewolf who was a WWII British agent or something? Yes it is. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/28 "2004-01-25T23:02:04Z")
“Wolfland” By Tanith Lee is only one story in her anthology, _Red As Blood: Tales from the Sisters Grimmer_. It is, indeed, sympathetic to shapeshifting. All the other perversely twisted tales in that book are worth a look; the title story resembles “Snow White” yet the beautiful princess is a vampire. Also in that vein: _Sabella, Or, The Blood Stone_–her “science fiction vampire novel”. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/29 "2004-01-25T23:08:07Z")
There’s _The Complete Werewolf_ by Anthony Boucher. And IIRC it’s _The Silver Stallion_ by James Branch Cabell that has a sympathetic werewolf/demon in it. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/30 "2004-01-25T23:28:01Z")
The Passion and The Promise (two books) by Donna Boyd offer a view of werewolves as a long-lived dynasty of superior beings (with investment savvy). These books read like historicals, with a touch of romance. I really liked them, and am waiting for her to write another. The family history isn’t finished yet. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/31 "2004-01-25T23:47:12Z")
Peter David’s hard-to-find **Howling Mad** features a wolf that was bitten by a lycanthrope, so he has to cope with periodic bouts of being furless and walking around upright… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/32 "2004-01-26T00:25:07Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Peter David’s hard-to-find **Howling Mad** features a wolf that was bitten by a lycanthrope, so he has to cope with periodic bouts of being furless and walking around upright… 🙂 “Hard To Find?” 😕 I found it in my public library. [http://waldo.library.nashville.org/search/t?SEARCH=Howling+Mad](http://waldo.library.nashville.org/search/t?SEARCH=Howling+Mad) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/33 "2004-01-26T00:29:12Z")
Neil Gaiman has two short stories in his _Smoke and Mirrors_ book featuring a werewolf detective. Gaiman pulls off one of the worst title puns in recent memory by writing a story that pits the werewolf detective against a creature that comes out of the sea onto a California beach and slays young men. The title? **Bay Wolf** (get it?). ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/34 "2004-01-26T01:13:06Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > “Hard To Find?” > 😕 > I found it in my public library. > > [http://waldo.library.nashville.org/search/t?SEARCH=Howling+Mad](http://waldo.library.nashville.org/search/t?SEARCH=Howling+Mad) Lucky you… it’s not at mine… ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/35 "2004-01-26T01:44:25Z")
Quote: Originally Posted by Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor “Hard To Find?” I found it in my public library. [http://waldo.library.nashville.org/...RCH=Howling+Mad](http://waldo.library.nashville.org/...RCH=Howling+Mad) > [@Obsidian Flutterby](#): > > Lucky you… it’s not at mine… Ask your Librarian about Interlibrary Loans. In many Library Systems, you can arrange loans from Librarys all ove the US. In my case, I can even get this service _free!_ ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/36 "2004-01-26T03:49:04Z")
I’m in Canada so from the US won’t work lol… I’ll just go check out my bookstores that are around… we have plenty of second hand ones that I like to browse 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Catsmeow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Catsmeow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catsmeow)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/37 "2004-01-26T04:41:57Z")
You may also enjoy [Bitten](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0452283485/qid=1075091974/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-3584458-4399113?v=glance&s=books) by Kelley Armstrong. A great book that I believe is going to be a series. Cats ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/38 "2004-01-26T07:08:39Z")
And there was a book by Jack Williamson – let’s see… it was called _Darker Than You Think_. Thought I had a copy, but it must have been lost in my house fire in 1986. Lost hundreds of books, some of them pretty rare. (Burglary/arson, actually; if I caught the guy who did it, I’d go werewolf on his ass.) Anyway, the novel, as I recall, posited that lycanthropes were genetic throwbacks to a species that once shared the world with, and dominated, _Homo Sapiens_. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/39 "2004-01-26T12:41:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Pretty much any of the books White Wolf published under their World of Darkness imprint. Not all of them will have werewolves, and not all of the werewolves will be sympathetic, but the setting is one in which sympathetic werewolves do exsist. I shopuld probably point out here that if you actually read carefully and think things through rather than just accept the Garou version of things, you’re likely to quickly come to the conclusion that Werewolves are inherently blood-saked madmen who need to be beaten until they die from it, incompetant cosmic losers who constantly screw up the world, and worthless layabouts who have accomplished nothing since the dawn of time. Come to think of it, every one of their “Changing Breed” creatures seems to be an incompetant loser, with the possible exception of the Kitsune, who are generally useless for any task that requires their attention for more than five minutes. No wonder their all dieing out (although some idiot game author screwed up and printed a formula for their population that would have given them a populaton vastly larger than any of their previous populations in history. WHite WHolf was not known for having smart writers. Good writers maybe, but not smart ones. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912/40 "2004-01-26T15:37:30Z")
An excellent novella on the subject is George R.R. Martin’s “The Skin Trade.” It was released as a trade paperback about 10 years ago. I wonder why nobody has made a movie of it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-books-with-a-positive-view-of-werewolves-other-lycanthropic-beings/225912.md?page=3)