Wolf Blood by N M Browne
Published by Bloomsbury
Trista, a tribal warrior woman with the gift of future sight, has been taken as a slave after a battle by a rival tribe. While escaping from her captors, she runs into Morcant, a half-Brit, half-Roman soldier with his own special skill; he can turn into a wolf. Trista can see his wolf spirit and he slowly begins to accept his fate as a shape shifter with her help and begins to rebel against his former Roman comrades.
Trista, meanwhile, has a quest of her own. She has been tasked, against her will, to deliver a message to the Chief of the British tribes that could turn the tide against the invading Romans and shape the future of Britain…
This is a classic love triangle tale with a twist. The narrative alternates between Trista and Morcant, with the added interest of Morcant’s version providing the perspective of a wolf. Trista is a believable character, with all the nuances and character traits expected of a tribal warrior plus the appropriate language! Morcant is the lesser character in this story, but his contribution to the flow of the plot, and his interventions at significant points in the story are well thought out. The sub-plot of his struggles with his shape-shifter identity and his relationship conflicts between Trista and the she-wolf are intriguing.
Overall, this is a believable story, even though there are fantasy elements. The author has done her research into Celtic Britain, tribal and Roman battle tactics, and the language of the time. The book is aimed at older teens due to the complex interweaving of the plot dynamics, the graphic descriptions of battle, and the gritty dialogue! All in all, a good read!