The Wolf of Tebron by C.S. Lakin

This book is subtitled A Fairy Tale, and that is what it is. The notion made me curious at first, because it appears to be for children and grown-ups equally, and I wondered how it could be done. Yet the author accomplishes this with a wonderful ease of style that reaches out and wraps the reader in another world, one of telepathic animals and personified powers of nature.

Joran, a blacksmith's apprentice, has lost his wife in a peculiar set of circumstances and determines to set out to find her. No sooner has he set out than he meets the great wolf Ruyah, whose life becomes so entwined with his own. Rescued from a cruel trap, the powerful wolf refuses to leave him, and so they journey on together to the four corners of the world: the houses of the Moon and Sun and South Wind, and the sea.

The man and the wolf encounter various dangers along the way, and Ruyah helps Joran discover the power in his own dreams and how to use it. One most notable lesson occurs when Joran falls ill: never, never ever stop caring. If you care, then you can always go on somehow; but if you let apathy and lethargy take hold, they will drag you away and imprison you.

Sleeping and dreaming are of great significance in this story - the need for rest, the subconscious that remains awake, and the power of dreamed emotion and danger.

The Wolf of Tebron is a grand, sweeping tale of one man's journey to the truth and to rescue his true love. While I joined the dots fairly early on as to the wolf's true identity as well as what he represents in the story, it is carefully constructed to allow different readers to discover the connections at their own pace. This fanciful, whimsical, wild tale can truly inspire you to perseverance - highly recommended. My personal tip: watch this author, she's going places!