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The Pack by Jason Starr (Review)

Last post 08-06-2012 11:49 by sammyt. 3 replies.
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  • 05-29-2012 11:15 Post ID: 993,661 

    • tolly18
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    The Pack by Jason Starr (Review)

    Product Description - Amazon

    Let the hunt begin . . .

    When Simon Burns is fired from his job without warning, he takes on the role of stay-at-home dad for his three-year-old son. But his reluctance pushes his already strained marriage to the limit. In the nestled playgrounds of the Upper West Side, Simon harbors a simmering rage at his boss's betrayal.

    Things take a turn when he meets a tight-knit trio of dads at the playground. They are different from other men Simon has met, stronger and more confident, more at ease with the darker side of life- and soon Simon is lured into their mix. But after a guys' night out gets frighteningly out of hand, Simon feels himself sliding into a new nightmarish reality.

    As he experiences disturbing changes in his body and his perceptions, he starts to suspect that when the guys welcomed him to their "pack", they were talking about much more than male bonding . . .

     

    Most enjoyable urban fantasy. This is my review for Amazon Vine:

     

    This is a splendid urban fantasy set in New York: family life versus the call of the wild. In this case the story of a father forced by circumstance into the role of childminder, who encounters in a play park a group of other fathers who fascinate him from the start. Simon is, initially, a bit of a wimp; fired from his job as a advertising executive. he flounces home to find that his wife will be happy to continue working while he takes over the childcare. Even before this the marriage is not going well and he readily enough falls under the spell of Michael, the leader of the 'pack'. Invited out for an evening with the boys he wakes the next morning to find himself stranded in New Jersey with only nightmares to suggest what he may have been up to. He finds himself with added strength, enhanced hearing, a highly enhanced sex drive and a full blown taste for red meat, but it is a while before he begins to accept what has happened to him. His wife Alison, initially delighted with the change in him, comes to suspect not the truth, but the worst.
    There is a good deal of black humour here, and also genuine feeling between Simon, Alison and their son Jeremy; the problems of being a stay-at-home father are given a sympathetic airing.
    All this is great, but I did feel that Michael's motives were less than clear; is it loneliness that makes him want to recruit against his father's wishes, or is he just a megalomaniac in werewolf form? I also felt that maybe Olivia became a fantasy too far, but we are talking werewolves. The ending is rather rushed and I found it less than convincing, although, if this is to be a series rather than a stand alone fantasy, it does leave the field open. If so, I'd like to read the next one.

    MySwaps My TBR
    Now reading: The Woman in Black by Kerry Wilkinson
  • 05-29-2012 18:58 Post ID: 993,751  In reply to

    Re: The Pack by Jason Starr (Review)

    Sounds interesting, I haven't read a wolve book for a bit so might bump one up the tbr pile.  Thanks for the review x

    www.alwaysreading.net - feel free to stop by and enjoy the giveaways
  • 08-05-2012 20:31 Post ID: 1,011,877  In reply to

    Re: The Pack by Jason Starr (Review)

    Fab review Penny - I really liked it

    here is my thoughts

     

    Meet Simon Burns, possibly the most unfortunate guy of the week in terms of work. He thinks he is getting a big promotion after working for the same company for over 7 years only to be fired rather humiliatingly and without a second thought. Going from a high powered job to a stay at home dad is life changing and challenging. But after a play date with his son at the park he meets some grown up friends and on their first "night out" his life changes and here in starts a new and terrifying chapter.

    I loved this book, it is easy to read - a story that you just fall into and can't put down (well nosey folks like myself can't). We follow Simon going through an emotional journey through stresses with his job and financial situation, not to mention his marital issues which all stem from his journey after being flung into the life of a werewolf. I think I liked it so much because you get to follow pretty much every aspect of this normal guy going through a lot of struggles you can identify with(especially with today's economy). Also how the journey of the "change" happens and how it affects him both emotionally and physically.

    There is a fair bit of violence and sex in this book (it is all wrapped up in the beast and the changes that take place) but it doesn't detract or take anything away from the story. It has been a long time since I read a werewolf book and I love how this one has been done, it isn't all about the horror and gore (although there is enough of it to keep fans happy). I have been left with a few questions which I hate but as there is going to be another book I am hoping they get answered there, also you are left with a cliff hanger and the omg no you can't end it here!! Book two is out in the US now and for everyone in the UK we need to wait til October. 4/5 for me and now going to see if I can get book two whilst on vacation.

    www.alwaysreading.net - feel free to stop by and enjoy the giveaways
  • 08-06-2012 11:49 Post ID: 1,011,968  In reply to

    Re: The Pack by Jason Starr (Review)

    I am currently reading: Good Morning Nantwich by Phill Jupitus (Radio Gaga!)
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