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Men of the Otherworld
by
Kelley Armstrong
It is part of the Otherworld Stories #1, series and is a paranormal fantasy in a Kindle edition that was published by Bantam Books on January 27, 2009 and has 370 pages.
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Other books in this series include [books_series]
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Broken, Personal Demon , Living with the Dead, Men of the Otherworld, Tales of the Otherworld, Frostbitten, Dates from Hell, Exit Strategy, Made to Be Broken, The Reckoning, Spell Bound, The Gathering, The Awakening, "Hidden", The Calling, Aftertaste, Kisses from Hell, The Rising, Omens, Wild Justice, Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions, Visions, Deceptions, The Masked Truth, City of the Lost, Empire of Night, Forest of Ruin, Betrayals, A Darkness Absolute, Indigo, Rituals, The Unquiet Past, This Fallen Prey, Stolen, Rough Justice, Dime Store Magic, Industrial Magic, Haunted, Broken, Waking the Witch, Portents, Missing, Alone in the Wild, Watcher in the Woods, Otherworld Secrets, Wherever She Goes, "The Case of the Half-Demon Spy", "Escape", Otherworld Chills, A Stranger in Town, "Bargain", Hex on the Beach, "Recruit", "Checkmate", "Framed", Cursed Luck, High Jinx, Bitten, Driven, "Forsaken", The Deepest of Secrets, "Dead Letter Days", The Boy Who Cried Bear
First in the Otherworld Stories in the Women of the Otherworld paranormal fantasy series revolving around a wolf pack. The focus is on the earlier history of what will become the Stonehaven Pack with Jeremy, Malcolm, and Clayton.
My Take
You could say that it’s a series of short stories, but it’s more of a Pack biography that starts with Antonio’s birth and before Dominic is the alpha; it also sets up Malcolm’s animosity and his allies in the pack. The tale ends with Jeremy learning the truth of his birth.
Malcolm’s whole approach to life is perverse. A man who should never have been allowed to live, although we do get Jeremy out of it. It did make me laugh but also cringe when we learn of Malcolm’s need to be able to boast about having sons. Ick. His overweening ambition. I stopped laughing after Jeremy was born. Jesus. Edward may be a coward, but he is a realistic one, and thank god he’s there for Jeremy. I do love what Edward does with his will! Only, there’s that risk of retaliation.
We then segue into Clayton’s becoming a werewolf and how he survives. How he’s found and his life with Jeremy. The struggle Jeremy has socializing the wild Clayton, who craved continued food and shelter. The extracurricular activities Jeremy struggles to choose. Clayton’s choices — home ec!? Why Jeremy gets medical training
It is a struggle as Clayton has forgotten language and how to speak, how to act in public, the ordeal of school — I’d like to whack that coach!, and all those other useless rules about behavior. Those bigoted idiots at the school! Kids need to be challenged, encouraged to learn. Although, yeah, that guinea pig incident . . . oops.
Wow, Jeremy and Antonio are so young in this! Armstrong does a nice job of emphasizing Jeremy’s character. His need for control and compassion. I had to love that gift Antonio gives Jeremy on his twenty-fourth birthday. There’s also that compulsion Jeremy has to sketch weird symbols. Hmmm.
Armstrong includes a bit on how Jeremy’s arts career took off as well as Antonio’s business acumen.
The first few chapters are in third person point-of-view from Malcom’s perspective. When 1967 hits, it becomes first person point-of-view from Clayton’s perspective. It’s the one reason we know how Clayton feels about the deaths that happen, how he perceives modesty and blood, his dominance issues, the difference between ability and desire. In 2007, the perspective in first person point-of-view changes from Clayton’s to Jeremy’s, and we spend time with Jaime, learning about his relationship with her.
It’s a love so profound for Jeremy that Clayton will do anything, anything to protect Jeremy — and we finally learn the truth about Clayton’s vicious attack on a mutt that sets his reputation. It does help to be so pragmatic, *gulp*. There are also those outrageous demands, insisting Clayton speak in full sentences, lol. Clayton’s fascination for anthropology is explained as well. I always did wonder.
Those are some nasty stats and believing that a 50% survival rate is an improvement, oy. There’s more foreshadowing with Nick’s approach to work, Daniel’s anger, that new partner who’ll be entering Clayton’s life, and Jeremy’s redecorating.
The bullying and bigotry are appalling. I love that Dominic sees the benefit of Jeremy’s thoughts. Armstrong does provide an explanation on the reason for putting down mutts, and it is a good one. Yet Jeremy has his own thoughts on this, his own insecurities. That getting a reputation as a fighter doesn’t help. That some rules can be bent.
Jaime is one of those rules that Jeremy bends, and I laughed when I read of Jaime reading suggestive passages to Jeremy from her romance books, passages she, um, reinterpreted. Ahem. She was another who had a sad childhood. That mother of hers.
That play on light Jeremy saw? Yeah, I get it.
And yet another piece of Jeremy’s history is revealed. Yep, another confirmation that gods need worshipers.
The Story
As a curious child, Clayton didn’t resist the bite — he asked for it. But surviving as a lone child werewolf was more than he could manage — until Jeremy came along and taught him how to straddle the human-werewolf worlds, gave him a home . . . and introduced him to the Pack.
As Clayton grows from a wild child to a clever teen who tests his beloved mentor at every turn, he must learn not only to control his animal instincts, but to navigate Pack politics — including showing his brutal arch nemesis, Malcolm, who the real Alpha is . . .
The Characters
1946
Emilio Sorrentino, Dominic’s father, is the alpha. Dominic will become the Alpha of the pack. Dominic’s sons include Antonio, who is a friend of Jeremy’s; Gregory; and, Benedict. Edward Danvers is Malcolm’s father. Other pack members include Malcolm Danvers, who craves fighting and sees his father as a weak link, a coward; Wally and Raymond Santos; Billy Koenig; and, Ross Werner.
Vinnie owns a bar where a beautiful Japanese girl works.
1967
Clayton has an abusive family, which affects his mindset.
The uncomfortably psychic Jeremy Danvers has inherited Stonehaven, a house near Bear Valley in New York and struggles to pay the bills by translating. He’s also a painter who doesn’t believe in himself. Pearl is the human who cooks their dinners. John is Pearl’s son.
Nicholas “Nicky” is Antonio’s son. Today, the brain-damaged Gregory has one living son, Jorge. Benedict, who has two sons, now lives in Europe. Raymond Santos has three nephews: the bullying Stephen, Andrew, and Daniel. Peripheral Pack members include Ross Werner, Cliff Ward, Peter Myers, and Dennis Stillwell and his son, Joey.
Miss Fishton teaches kindergarten at Harding Academy. Carl Pritchard is a mutt. Dr Lawson attended Clayton. Deedee is the waitress at Malcolm’s escape bar. Mike is the forward Becky’s boyfriend. The Legacy is the Pack history book. Dr Patterson is the Pack doctor.
2007
Jaime Vegas is a popular necromancer on television who developed a passion for Jeremy. They met six years ago when Jaime joined the interracial council, and they have been together for two years now. Tara is Jaime’s assistant.
Elena is the only woman werewolf in the world and mated to Clayton. They have a set of twins. Brent is a natural son created by Jeremy.
Robert Vasic is a Tempestras (storm) half demon, a former priest, and a current Professor of Demonology. Talia is Robert’s wife and Adam’s mother. His stepson, Adam Vasic, is an Exustio half-demon. Zoe Takano, a thief, is the only vampire in Toronto.
Kitsunegari are fox maidens, demons of hearth and home. A Kogitsune is a fox cub able to ensure the continuance of Kitsune. The piggish Brent Delaney of Delaney Construction was thinking of investing in Jaime’s production.
The Cover and Title
The cover is primarily reds with the glossy background and the black silhouette of wolves circling. The back of a man whose nude back exposes an elaborate tattoo on his right shoulder blade is slightly off-center. At the very top is an info blurb with the author’s name below it with both in white. Overlapping the man’s left shoulder is a white oval with red text proclaiming the series as a SYFY TV series. At the center of his back is a tiny epigram just above the title, both are in yellow. Below the title is a casual three-line swirl in a lighter red with the series info on it in white.
The title is true, for it focuses on the Men of the Otherworld.
