Running with the Pack

Remember the werewolves of classic stories and films, those bloodthirsty monsters that transformed under the full moon, reminding us of the terrible nature that lives within all of us? Today's werewolves are much more suave - and even sexy - and they've moved from British moors to New York City lofts, shaved, and got jobs. But as the tales of these writers will show you, they remain no less wild and passionate, and they still tug at the part of our being where a wild animal used to be. Running With the Pack includes stories from Carrie Vaughn, Laura Anne Gilman, and C.E. Murphy, and they will convince you that despite their gentrification, werewolves remain as fascinating and terrifying as ever.

"Sedia (Paper Cities) collects 22 tales that look at werewolves from a multitude of different angles. Steve Duffy's chilling dental thriller 'Side-Effects May Include' examines how far a man will go to end his pain. A damaged alpha gains the trust of a homeless woman in Maria V. Snyder's 'Mongrel.' Murderous soccer moms eat cheaters in Samantha Henderson's 'Skin in the Game.' A woman accidentally turned wolf struggles against her dual nature before learning to accept it in Erzebet YellowBoy's powerful 'Inside Out.' The origin of T.J. from Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville series is told in 'Wild Ride,' and Mike Resnick's preacher/con-artist Lucifer Jones makes an appearance in the hilarious 'Royal Bloodlines.' The stories veer from comedy to horror and from tragic love story to coming-of-age tale, showing the richness inherent in the idea of shifting shapes and animal strength. (July)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright PWyxz LLC)