Wolf of Shadows

A bleak tale about the struggle to survive in the devastation following a nuclear attack, told from a wolf's point of view, hardly seems a successful premise for a YA story. But Strieber (coauthor of Warday) pulls it off masterfully, providing sobering, utterly convincing testimony on the horrors of nuclear war and the capability that humans have to destroy life on this planet. Shunned by his pack from a young age, Wolf of Shadows lives a solitary life on the pack's fringes, until a series of tremendous flashes (nuclear explosions) lights up the night sky and the world is changed forever. Fire, destruction and death are everywhere; the wolf knows his pack's only hope for survival is if he can lead them south, away from the brutal ensuing nuclear winter. Two unlikely companions - a mother and her young daughter - join them on the long journey, and Strieber creates an interaction between the humans and the wolves that is spellbinding, as the wolves grow to accept the two as part of their pack. No falsely optimistic notes are sounded (the story ends with only a faint glimmering of hope for the future), but the spirit with which Strieber imbues these creatures is so powerful, so special, that his tale is uplifting despite its grim subject. An excellent volume for classroom use, to promote understanding of and discussion on the most important issue of our age. (Kirkus Reviews)