Secrets of the Wolves

‧ Fantastical plot based on science: Rich with mythology and spiritual lore, The Wolf Chronicles series began 14,000 years ago, but at the heart of the story is a scientific theory that is alive today: co-evolution, the idea that it was wolves, and later dogs, that made humans the dominant species on the planet by teaching us to hunt cooperatively, hold territories, and form complex societies. One young wolf, Kaala, is charged with watching over humans and keeping them connected with nature. She must lead a group of wolves to live amongst the humans for a year—without anyone winding up dead. But when the prey diminishes, inevitable tensions between the species arise.

‧ Raves from readers and reviews: Dorothy Hearst’s first Wolf Chronicle installment was an auspicious debut. The critics weighed in, calling Promise of the Wolves and Hearst’s writing: “Enchanting,” “Tolkien-esque,” “a natural talent for writing action and setting scenes,” “beguiling,” “dazzling,” and more. The reader reviews for this author are equally passionate, as one reader put it: “Humans can learn a great lesson from the wolf pack. This book is a tribute to them.…I wanted to read it very slowly and did not want it to end.”