The Wolves of Mirr by Paul Piper is a fascinating eco-thriller.
(Originally posted 3/2/21 at www.bookviewcafe.com )
The Wolves of Mirr, an eco-thriller/mystery/magical realism novel that defies easy classification, hits several of my sweet spots: Poetically-rendered wilderness settings, complex characters, intertwining physical and psychological dangers, and a strong thread of ancient Greek mythology.
Wolf biologist Levi Brunner thinks he’d gladly trade his life for that of a wolf. A self-described “lone wolf” living on the edge of Colorado wilderness, he challenges himself with dangerous forays to observe these beautiful, wild creatures threatened by rabid wolf-hating ranchers and other locals. Dangers multiply – not the least, Levi’s fears that he may be losing his mind with “impossible” visions and experiences. Is he really running the wild as a wolf? Has he really traveled through a portal to an ancient Greek temple of werewolf-worshippers? Did the wolf-protecting Greek women he encountered in the mountains really exist? Those interior mysteries weave through the physical mysteries as threats and violent deaths escalate in the community.
What Levi comes to recognize, even as he must defend himself and the wolves, is that his “lone wolf” lifestyle is really not aligned with that of the wolves he admires. He must challenge his difficulty in committing to relationships, as he observes the loyalty of the wolf packs and their caring of each other. So another danger – of opening to the risks of love – complicates Levi’s desperate race for answers.