STARRED Book Review: Warriors of the Red Wolf

Reviewed by Warren Maxwell

An adventure that pits fantastical creatures and evil forces against the virtues of a tight-knit tribe

“‘Let me take you back to the beginning. We were peaceful and happy in our desert land. But a dark wind came, opposed to the Sacred Wind.’”

A sequel to Seasons of the Blue Pearl, Warriors of the Red Wolf carries on the epic story of Mia and the Warriors of the Hilltop. After defeating the hellish Nightmare Ogre and its Groo’yo in the series’ first installment, the tribe finds itself unmoored from any land. The story begins as they follow Mia, who has the ability to hear and interpret the voice of the Sacred Wind, over mountains and across plains in search of a new home. 

After years of walking, the lonely march begins to bear fruit. They find camaraderie with other tribes and build new bonds, yet this fortune is dampened by a dark, nebulous force that hangs over the fertile lands they discover. The evil force poisons the hearts and minds of everything around it, twisting lies into truth, realities into fantasies, kindness into cruelty, and must be overcome in order for Mia and her people to make the newfound land into a peaceful home.

“‘See the dark shapes of countless ravens perched in the branches, their backs hunched as they wait patiently for the story to begin. Listen as the great raven tells the flock everything it witnessed as it soared over the Blue Pearl and watched our people’s progress.’”

This is a novel of skillfully woven together episodes and events. Each chapter spills into the next, maintaining a taut overarching narrative that provides a constant source of entertainment. Even in passages that describe Mia and the tribe’s long, nomadic journeys, there is action and adventure mixed in. 

Traveling across a mountain pass gives way to a deadly foot race when the Warriors of the Hilltop encounter another tribe. As the story pushes forward, the pace and frequency of such dramatic encounters increases, imbuing small quiet moments—gazing at the stars or listening to the winds—with a potent, much needed sense of relief and philosophical introspection. 

“‘The Sacred Wind loves our differences, just as it loves the differences among the plants and animals and all things it has created. We are not meant to be all the same!’”

The novel has a tremendous ability to whip up a storm with its prose, capturing fantastical images like that of a glowing red yarn that nurtures and encases the world, alongside gruesome acts of violence and sobering moments of sorrow and loss. When Mia, overwhelmed by the trauma of what she has already experienced, begins to wish for the quiet and silence of crossing over into another realm beyond Earth, the Blue Pearl, the book’s language captures this sincere pain with gravity and depth. This ability to fully inhabit and shift between emotional and dynamic registers sets this book apart. 

“We are Warriors but do not make war

“We are water flowing gently, nourishing the land 

“We walk the winding path and are the path itself”

At the novel’s core, establishing its emotional force, is the deep sense of values and human feeling that are endowed on the large cast of characters. Whether it be Mia, who carries the responsibility for the wellbeing of her whole tribe at a very young age, or her Uncle Ho-e, who never misses a moment to spread laughter and joy among the warriors, each central character is grounded with a palpable sense of love and compassion for the world around them. This is embodied in the framing device that governs the novel—somewhere in the future, Uncle Ho-e is recounting the story of the tribe’s exploits to the next generation, ensuring that the children know of their ancestor’s sacrifices and remain connected to that legacy. This goodhearted instinct to respect and preserve the memories of others runs through the story and makes for a deeply resonant reading experience. 

A poignant and epic adventure of a tribe searching for a land to call their own, Warriors of the Red Wolf speaks to the power of love, family, and righteousness even in the face of a dark, nihilistic force.

Thank you for reading Warren Maxwell’s book review of Warriors of the Red Wolf by Nicholas Varner! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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