Series: Tales of the Plains #2
Publisher: HarperVoyager
Pages: 529
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The author kindly gave me a copy of this book
Rating: 5/5 stars
Synopsis
Seeking a better life, Ree and Javani have traveled west into the mountains, and left their pasts – and their troubles – behind. But new places bring new problems, and when they stumble across a lone traveler under bandit attack, they make the mistake of lending a hand.
Forced to take refuge in the traveler’s village, they quickly find allies among the lush, wooded hills. But then the true nature of the bandits is revealed.
With winter approaching and a vengeful company of mercenaries circling like wolves, Ree and Javani must uncover the secrets of this peaceful valley . . . or risk the ruin of it all.
Review
The Company of the Wolf is the second installment in David Wragg’s The Tales of the Plains series. Following on from the events in book one, we follow Ree and Javani as they travel across the mountains in search of a new life. When they encounter someone being beaten up by bandits, they end up stepping in. They seek refuge in a nearby village Ar Ramas, only to discover the bandits are a mercenary company who provide “protection” for the village. When the company comes knocking Ree and Javani discover there is far more going on than meets the eye and must work together before the village is torn apart.
I absolutely adored book one in this series, it was gripping, action packed and had a great mix of humour and heartbreak. I think if it’s possible, I loved book two even more. I could not put The Company of the Wolf down and I think this is my favourite David Wragg book published so far. This is such a compelling story, it was well paced and I was glued to the book as I watched Ree and Javani attempt to unravel the secrets behind Ar Ramas. The world building is well developed and there is tons of action to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. I really enjoyed the way Wragg weaved in some humorous moments and I found myself laughing even when the characters were in the midst of something intense and deadly.
With this second installment comes a host of new characters and each one felt exceptionally crafted. I really liked all the villagers, though Anri in particular stole the show for me. I loved the dynamic between him and Javani and thought they were brilliant together. The introduction of Captain Manatas as a new POV character was really gripping and I liked that it gave the reader the chance to see things from both sides of the conflict. The story continues to explore the mother-daughter relationship between Ree and Javani which was really fascinating, particularly as Javani is growing into a young woman.
Overall The Company of the Wolf is a brilliant, engaging sequel and one I did not want to put down. I cannot recommend this series enough and if you’ve read book one you absolutely need to pick up book two. This will without a doubt be on my top ten list for 2024 and I cannot wait to see where Wragg takes the story in book three.
David Wragg’s The Hunters is a fast paced and addictive story that follows Ree and her twelve year old niece Javani. After many years moving from place to place, they have settled on a farm in a mining community in the middle of nowhere. When a group of killers comes to the town looking for a young girl and an older woman, Ree and Javani are forced to flee across the desert and mountains. A deadly chase occurs, but will Ree be able to keep them both alive and keep her secrets intact?
The Bibliophile Chronicles 