I liked this a lot better than the first in this series. Both of our point-of-view characters love their lives as brothers to wolves; it isn't a traumatic coming of age story, as Companion to Wolves was. Some reviewers have said that there isn't enough movement forward in the plot in this one, but I found it engrossing. Old, anticipated dangers! New, unexpected dangers! I particularly loved the introduction of Fargrimr as a new character. I enjoyed this, but not as much as book 1, "A Companion to Wolves". This feels a little like the 'middle book'. While I found the changing POVs interesting - and necessary, since the book spans a larger area of the world - the first book's focus on Isolfr provides the reader with a more intimate introduction to the world of the wolfhealls. Still, I enjoyed this 2nd book in the world of Iskyrne and hope the wait for book 3 won't be too long! (And that it will come with an index to explain which brothers and wolves belong together, and their wolfhealls. All these names are confusing!)
What do You think about The Tempering Of Men (2011)?
Really enjoyed the first, but just could NOT get into this one at all. Sent it back to the library.
—jameshartwell
3.9 stars. Fun page turner. Less of the hot and heavy than in Book 1. I'm ready for the next one!
—asha
Too much roadtrip. Too much separation of MCs. Too many tangents. Very little Isolfr :(
—tasin
