Tchaikovsky is an agile and varied writer (after an innovative fantasy series he has just won the Arthur C. Clarke Award for his SF novel Children of Time). The Tiger and The Wolf is the first novel of a new fantasy series set in a world not unlike that of Iron Age Northern Europe. This is a dark and cold world where tribes fight for supremacy amongst woods and hills. But the people of the tribes of the Wolf, the Tiger, the Boar and the Deer are no ordinary people, rather they are lycanthropes who can “Step” at will between human form and the animals that give their tribes their name. The organisation and culture of the various tribes are shaped by the natures of these animals. This feels like a fresh take on lycanthropy and it informs the feel of the story in way that is both vivid and intelligent.
Tchaikovsky has really thought about this all and his prose is supple and effective in conveying the idea in all its richness. The tribes and the animals really do live and breathe on the page – it’s scary and involving and it all feels very right. Into this wonderful feat of worldbuilding is thrown the young girl Maniye daughter of the chief of the Wolf tribe. But Maniye is both wolf and tiger and soon finds herself a victim of tribal politics and has to make her own way in a world that is tipping into war. Maniye is a wonderful creation; scared but resourceful, living by her wits. And she needs them – she is soon being hunted by a killer. I loved this book and fans of Joe Abercrombie and John Gwynne alike will really enjoy its robust sense of adventure and creation. ~ Simon Spanton
In the bleak northern crown of the world, war is coming Maniye's father is the Wolf clan's chieftain, but she's an outcast. Her mother was queen of the Tiger and these tribes have been enemies for generations. Maniye also hides a deadly secret. All can shift into their clan's animal form, but Maniye can take on tiger and wolf shapes. She refuses to disown half her soul so escapes, rescuing a prisoner of the Wolf clan in the process. The killer Broken Axe is set on their trail, to drag them back for retribution. The Wolf chieftan plots to rule the north and controlling his daughter is crucial to his schemes. However, other tribes also prepare for strife. Strangers from the far south appear too, seeking allies in their own conflict. It's a season for omens as priests foresee danger and a darkness falling across the land. Some say a great war is coming, overshadowing even Wolf ambitions. A time of testing and broken laws is near, but what spark will set the world ablaze?
'It's addictively brilliant! The protagonist is vivid and sympathetic - and I love both the story and the world Adrian has created. It's meticulously thought out and utterly believable John Gwynne A classically brilliant fantasy writer, a pusher of boundaries, a great storyteller' Paul Cornell
Author
About Adrian Tchaikovsky
Adrian Tchaikovsky was born in Lincolnshire before heading off to Reading to study psychology and zoology. He subsequently ended up in law and has worked as a legal executive in both Reading and Leeds, where he now lives. Married, he is a keen live role-player and occasional amateur actor and has trained in stage-fighting. He's the author of Children of Time, the winner of the 30th Anniversary Arthur C. Clarke Award, and the Sunday Times bestseller Shards of Earth.
