The Wolf’s Hour by Robert McCammon is a powerhouse novel full of action, adventure, and horror. The story is about what would happen if a super spy was also a werewolf. The book is all about stopping a Nazi plot to release chemical weapons. McCammon’s take on the werewolf genre is fresh and new and this novel was written in the 80’s. In The Wolf’s Hour, a Werewolf can change at any time. The person’s body is always hot because the werewolf skin is underneath. The person must balance both a human diet and a wolf’s diet. When you remain in wolf form, your human body ages faster. Wolves live to 35 on average. The novel is a masterclass in pacing as we get an interesting background with intense action. The story mixes a werewolf horror with the action and adventure of Indiana Jones combined with James Bond. The novel also has some spice. The character is a little like James Bond. His missions involve seduction and sex. The ending was action packed satisfying. But there are two scenes midway through the book that beat the ending’s action. One scene is a train sequence that lasted 25 pages. It had me on the edge of my seat. Another scene is a dangerous big wolf fighting over territory. The novel is a historical fiction. It takes place in Russia, France, Berlin, and England. The setting is during World War II before D-Day. The book is all about stopping a Nazi plot to release chemical weapons. The story is partly about the mission to stop the Nazis. It also shows how the hero spy became a werewolf as a child. He grew up in a wolf pack. I read this novel 13 years ago and declared it one of my favorites. The Wolf’s Hour has held up more than any reread so far. McCammon is one of my absolute favorite writers and man does this book not disappoint. The Wolf’s Hour was published on October 12, 1989.

Plot Summary: Michael Gallantin is an English spy. He has been off the radar since a mission went wrong in Africa. During that mission, an asset was killed. Michael is not just your ordinary spy he is also a werewolf. A werewolf that can change at any minute and not just by the cycles of the moon. We see Michael use this skill early to escape a harrowing first mission. Michael has been off the grid for two years now. He is recruited back into service by a spy division. They know exactly what he is and how he can help this mission. Michael was born Russian. At 8 years old, a werewolf bit him on the day his family was murdered. Michael survived in the woods for 9 years until he was discovered. His mission will require him to speak Russian. He must get information about a chemical weapon that the Nazis have. He also needs to find out when they plan to use it.

What I Liked: The pacing and story structure were magnificent. If I ever try to write a novel, I will follow this structure. The transitions back to the flashbacks are great. This 600-page novel felt like a 300-page book because of its pacing. The flashbacks are just as compelling as the main story. The spy scenes are incredible and very tense. There is a spy scene featuring an intrepid Nazi officer. He just knows Michael is not who he says he is. The officer keeps trying to trap him. It reminded me of the bar scene in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Bastards. The train sequence is my favorite in the book. It reminded me of the opening of Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade sequence. The scene is a deadly cat-and-mouse game full of action and adventure that will not stop. The Berserker wolf fight is so intense, you know Michael survives but not the members of his pack. The wolf fight is brutal and a great transition for Michael to turn from a boy into a man. I like the scene where Michael gets the head injury as a wolf. He has to remember he’s human again to save his friends. I love the werewolf rules that McCammon has written and how original they are. The spicy scene, I remembered there were sex scenes but I forgot how spicy they got.

What I Disliked: I wanted to know if Michael’s son survived. It would make a great story if he was raised by Russian hunters who were hunting the werewolves. The ending was good but I felt the train sequence and the Berserker wolf fight overshadowed it. I was confused and overwhelmed at the beginning of Michael. At the wolf pack scene, it was hard to differentiate who was who. The book eventually gets to explain who is who.

Book Recommendation: The Wolf’s Hour is so good I encourage everyone to read it. It’s a shame this book is out of print. Fortunately, my wife found a copy for me on eBay. I can share it with my in-laws. They love the Matthew Corbett series that McCammon also writes. The book is digital and usually cheap. It is unfortunate that this book is not known by more people. More should also discover the incredible writing of Robert McCammon. If you want a good action adventure book with shades of horror with a little bit of spice, then The Wolf’s Hour is the book. There is a sequel called The Hunter From The Woods. It is a novella collection. It fills in some gaps in The Wolf’s Hour.

Rating: The Wolf’s Hour by Robert McCammon 4.8 out of 5.

Ranking: I have read most of Robert McCammon’s novels, But I have only read 4 since starting my blog readingwithmyeyes. I will rank only the 4 from favorite to least favorite: 1) The Wolf’s Hour, 2) Speaks the Nightbird, 3) Stinger, and 4) The Queen of Bedlam.