Men of the Otherworld-Kelley Armstrong

Men of the Otherworld
Kelley Armstrong
Bantam, Feb 2009, $22.00
ISBN 9780553807097

“Infusion”. In 1946 in New York City the Japanese bar maid abetted by two other sorceresses seduced Malcolm Danvers, who to his chagrin wanted her in spite of loathing the race following the war. He knows she is pregnant and watches her stomach grow. He hunts her and kills her. When he goes to kill their half-breed offspring, his crippled father Edward, who he scorns for failing to become the Alpha as expected of a Danvers, demands he bring his half-breed abomination to the Pack to be raised by them; they call him Jeremy.

“Savage”. In 1967 in Baton Rouge, the six year old child watched from the trees the adult change. He decided he wanted that skill too so balckmails the wolf by insisting he will not tell the secret into biting him. However, no one was there to mentor Clayton with the change until Jeremy took him under his wing two years after the bite. As Clayton learns to control his nature, Pack member Malcolm resents him for becoming Jeremy’s favorite.

“Kitsunegari”. In 2007 Jeremy has become the American Pack leader. He is wating for his Jaime to finish work when he meets a fox spirit, who insists she is for him as befitting the last Kogitsune while trying to seduce him.

Following up to her wonderful Women of the Otherworld saga (see LIVING WITH THE DEAD and PERSONAL DEMON), Kelly Armstrong provides fascinating tales of the males of the American Pack. Within “Infusion” and “Savage”, there is insight into other male werewolves, which gives the collection a sort of anecdotal feel yet still focuses on the prime characters as described above. Ms. Armstrong once again provides a terrific urban fantasy anthology with this werewolves in New York compilation.

Harriet Klausner