Spirit of the Wolves

A Novel

By: Dorothy Hearst

Narrated by: Justine Eyre

The third and final title in The Wolf Chronicles: Kaala the young wolf fulfills her destiny - to either help humans and wolves to live in peace, or bring war that will destroy them all.

Fourteen thousand years ago in southern Europe, a wolf cub named Kaala discovers that she alone can link wolves and humans, thus keeping humans from growing distant from and destroying the world around them. In Promise of the Wolves and Secrets of the Wolves, Kaala came to understand her role. Born of a forbidden, mixed blood litter, and alone after her mother's exile, Kaala struggled to earn her place in the Swift River pack. When she saved the life of a human girl, she put her hard-won place in the pack at risk, and responsibility for keeping peace between wolf and humankind fell to her. So far, she has failed.

Now, in Spirit of the Wolves, Kaala has one last chance. She leaves her home in the Wide Valley with her packmates, the human girl she loves, and an obnoxious raven. Together, they travel to the land outside the valley, only to discover that new challenges await them. Kaala’s mother has no answers, a faction of ruthless Greatwolves will stop at nothing to maintain control, odd little wolves seek to take Kaala's place, and, in the mysterious village of Kaar, humans are undergoing a transformation that could destroy everything she is working for. Only by calling on all of her strength and on the bonds of love with her human, raven, and wolf companions can Kaala hope to succeed. But it might not be enough.

In this satisfying conclusion to The Wolf Chronicles, Kaala will have to fight and sacrifice in ways she never imagined, and she must decide how far she is willing to go for peace... when every step she takes leads wolfkind and humankind toward war.

©2014 Dorothy Hearst (P)2014 Random House Audio

Excellent story but bad ending

Why did the main character have to die? It made the story anticlimactic ....bummer.

Heart Warming and Heart Breaking

The endless twist and turns in this story's plot will weave heart strings from the hearts of the characters to your heart.

Loved the Series, Hated the Ending

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

No... I feel the ending was horrible, almost a betrayal of storyteller/ listener bond. Hated it.

What could Dorothy Hearst have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Alter the ending. She could easily have maintained the ending she wrote with a little more exposition, giving the reader more sense of closure in regards to the other vital characters.

Which character – as performed by Justine Eyre – was your favorite?

I love all of Justine Eyre's characters. She is wonderful.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me want to hurl my device through the window of my car. I was THAT angry. The ending was, frankly, awful... A horrible thing to do to readers who have given years of time and hard earned cash to an otherwise great series.

Disappointing ending

I absolutely loved Dorothy's first two books in this series. I was so very excited to read this book. The story itself was captivating, just like the first two but the ending was devastatingly disappointing. The lady reading the book was incredibly annoying. The gravelly, whiny voice she uses is like listening to nails on a chalkboard. I was able to get used to it and finish the book but the first several chapters were hard to listen to. If you enjoy happy endings, this definitely is not the book for you. I'd suggest just reading the book instead of listening. It will be a much more pleasant experience than listening to this woman whine for hours on end.

Bleh.

Ending really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really sucked like a lot. Sad and a waste of time

There was very clearly supposed to be a Book 4

This book sets up for a 4th installment and resolution. Unfortunately, I suspect the publisher wouldn't sign a 4th book and the author was made to rewrite the ending.

Hugely Disappointing

Any additional comments?

The ending was the biggest let down I've come across in a LONG time.
Considering I read almost 250 books a year, that's talent.

The story was intriguing up until half wag through this last book. Conflict kept me engaged long into the night.

Then towards the end, BLEW IT.
No closure. No final push for the win. No satisfaction given for the hardships the characters endured. Literally, Dorothy Hearst destroyed everything these characters loved, and then dropped the mic like " look at my genius "

NO. NEVER AGAIN.

the other reviews on here pretty much nailed it...

I enjoyed the first two books in the series. This third and final installment leaves something to be desired. It started off compelling and I was pulled in and interested. However, the later chapters in book begin to spiral downward into something that leaves the reader/listener disapointed. Overall, it feels unsatifying. The book introduces a number of new characters, plot developments that go largely unresolved. Basically, the lead character just seems to get shit on more and more. The ending really is quite bad and very disapointing. It leaves the reader/listener sad and unfullfilled. The epiloge is rather odd. It gives you a stern jab about humanities destructive nature towards the enviroment. It doesnt quite feel right mixed in with the fantasy and lore the series attempts to create. I do not know if this is intentional or not, but it made the story feel completly futile as i reflect on it after three books. I believe most people who would be attracted to this type of book (magic wolves and ravens questing about with their human pals) probably already have strong feelings about not destroying our planet's ecosystem and preserving/protecting wild wolves and other animals. If you have read the other two, I do recomend completing the triology but be prepaired to have everything go sideways.

Cringey Narration, Decent Story

It's a little disappointing compared to the rest of the series. The annoying narrator almost ruined it, though. The whiny, mumbly, awkward voice made me want to stop listening after less than a minute and I kicked myself for not just ordering a paperback. The story wasn't as good as the first two books but the ending also wasn't as disappointing as some readers found it, though it did resemble a condescending environmentalist lecture with a dash of pointlessly killing off characters. Still, the series is worth reading, if not just for the first two books.