Blood Binds the Pack by Alex Wells Narrator: Penelope Rawlins
Series: The Ghost Wolves #2
Published by Audible on February 6, 2018
Genres: Science Fiction
Length: 16 hours and 40 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
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Join the fight for the people and power of Tanegawa's World in this exhilarating sequel to Hunger Makes the Wolf.
War is coming to Hob Ravani's world. The company that holds it in monopoly, TransRift Inc, has at last found what they're looking for - the source of the power that enables their Weathermen to rip holes in space and time, allowing the interstellar travel all of human society now takes for granted. And they will mine every last grain of it from Tanegawa's World no matter the cost.
Since Hob Ravani used her witchy powers to pull a massive train job and destroy TransRift Inc's control on this part of the planet, the Ghost Wolves aren't just outlaws, they're the resistance. Mag's miner collective grows restless as TransRift pushes them ever harder to strip the world of its strange, blue mineral. Now Shige Rollins has returned with a new charge - Mr Yellow, the most advanced model of Weatherman, infused with the recovered mineral samples and made into something stranger, stronger, and deadlier than before. And Mr Yellow is very, very hungry.
This is the second, and appears to be the final, book in the Ghost Wolves series. I’m not sure if there were more books planned or if the author only took two books to tell the story of Hob Ravani and Magdala “Mag” Kushtrim. Either way, I enjoyed this story as much as the first book, Hunger Makes the Wolf. And while I would love more time with these characters, this did wrap up the story well.
Hob has become the de facto leader of the Ghost Wolves, a mercenary biker group on Tanegawa’s World, a harsh desert planet run by TransRift, a corporation that exploits the people of this planet to mine a special rock (and farm, though we don’t see much about the farming part of the planet). She has “witchy” powers that scares many people, even some of her own gang, though they still trust her. She has the ability to control and create fire.
Mag is related to Hob, if not by blood, but through Old Nick, who is Mag’s uncle and Hob’s adopted father/mentor. She is also witchy. She’s able to control people’s will with her mind. She currently lives with one of the lead miners and is working to get the miner to have a revolution against TransRift.
I really enjoyed both books in this series, a lot. Alex Wells tells a wonderful story with even better characters. I liked seeing this story unfold from many different POVs throughout both books. There is some romance, some action, some happy times and some very sad times. The characters are also very diverse in personality, race, sexual orientation, humanity (this is science fiction, so there are some that aren’t quite human) and more. This diversity really helped to make the story that much more interesting. I really can’t recommend this series enough. I enjoyed it so much.
Narration:
This series was the first time I’ve listened to Penelope Rawlins. I enjoyed her take on the series. The voices she chose for the wide array of characters was spot on. I really loved the voice of Coyote the most. Coyote is one of Hob’s wolves. He has a swagger about him and she really brought that out in his voice, also the voice of the Bone Collector. He was a very interesting character and I felt the voice for him was perfect. I would love to listen to her again. I will be looking for more book performed by her.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Penelope Rawlins
Anglo/American voice artist and actress. Specialising in voices from babies to grannies. Nominated for Narrator of the Year 2013 by Audible
About Alex Wells
Alex Acks is an award-winning writer, geologist, and sharp-dressed sir. Angry Robot Books has published their novels HUNGER MAKES THE WOLF (winner of the 2017 Kitschies Golden Tentacle award) and BLOOD BINDS THE PACK under the pen name Alex Wells. Their steampunk novella collection, MURDER ON THE TITANIA AND OTHER STEAM-POWERED ADVENTURES, was nominated for the Colorado Book Award, and the sequel WIRELESS AND OTHER STEAM-POWERED ADVENTURES is available from Queen of Swords Press. They’ve had short fiction in Tor.com, Strange Horizons, Giganotosaurus, Daily Science Fiction, Lightspeed, and more, and are a contributing editor at Book Riot. They’ve also written several episodes of Six to Start’s Superhero Workout game and races for their RaceLink project. Alex lives in Denver (where they bicycle, drink tea, and twirl their ever-so-dapper mustache) with their two furry little bastards.
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I started listening to audiobooks when a new book in a series was coming out and I wanted to get a refresher, but didn’t have time to read all the books (I think it was Anita Blake). I fell in love. I stayed with strictly re-reading books that I’d already read for a long time. I eventually tried an audiobook for something that I hadn’t read first and was hooked there too. Now, I listen to audio for both re-reads and first time. I have some series that I’ve given up reading and only listen. I try to get any many books/audiobooks from the library to help save on my budget. Books on CD and the newer digital downloads from the library really allow me to listen more. I then purchase my favorites (because who can wait in line for your favorite book??) and less mainstream books from Audible or some other online retailer.
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I’m glad the second/final books was another winner for you. The duology sounds intriguing, and it’s appealing that it’s only two books. Thanks!
It really was a fun series. The characters are so much fun.
Glad the author was able to deliver a strong follow up to the first book and wrap up the series arc so you didn’t feel it was missing anything. I like the sound of this pair and I confess that a duology rather than a full series makes me more inclined to try it.
A short series does make it easier to undertake. I do kinda want more time with these characters.
What a lovely review you have here Melanie. I always admire when we see a cast of diversity characters, adds more realism to it.
Agreed. I love diverse characters. It gives so much more depth to the story.
That sounds pretty good. I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it. It’s new to me.
It’s a really fun series. I would’ve loved more time with these characters (even though the series does end completely).
Wonderful review! I really need to read more scifi
Same, I do need to read more sci-fi.
sounds interesting. i don’t think i have read a book quite like it. when i read the blurb i though of red dawn
I haven’t read Red Dawn, so I can’t give a comparison. I haven’t read anything like this series, for sure.
Those two look pretty kickass
I think you would enjoy these two books.