Book Review: Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

Clayton was a six year old human boy when he became a werewolf. It wasn't an accident-he asked for the bite which would fling him into a new and deadly world. Now alone, and struggling to understand his new abilities, Clayton becomes more animal than human, surviving by his wolf instincts in the wilds of the bayou outside Baton Rouge. Unable to remember his former life or family, he hides away from humanity, barely able to feed the gnawing hunger in his belly. 

Clayton is brutally attacked by a strange man who turns out to be a werewolf. After tainting his den, the werewolf leaves an injured Clayton to die. But the boy is stronger than even he imagined, and after many weeks, is healed and life continues... Until another werewolf appears. Though similar in appearance to Clayton's attacker, this one was does not do him harm, but simply watches him with kind eyes. The next day, he brings food, and over the course of many weeks, begins to build Clayton's trust. Eventually, Clayton becomes domesticated, wearing clothing, and re-learning language. And with it, he learns the werewolf's name is Jeremy. 

When Jeremy finally takes Clayton to his home in upstate New York, the boy begins to learn exactly who and what he is. And that his attacker is none other than Jeremy's father-Malcolm, a brutish werewolf who despises his son and happens to be the enforcer for the Pack. If not for Jeremy's grandfather leaving everything to him, Malcolm would have killed his son long ago. Clayton begins to realize that Malcolm is the source of most of Jeremy's problems-like making his life a living hell-and one way or another he'll eventually have to be dealt with. 

After nearly a year with Jeremy, it is time for Clayton to meet the Pack. Little does he know that his behaviour could mean his life or death. When Jeremy had proposed to the Alpha he take in the stray werewolf child, he was given a year to see if that child could be a "normal" and productive part of Human and Pack society. When some of his "abnormal" behaviour is revealed to the Alpha, he must await the Pack leader's decision-will Clayton continue to live with Jeremy, or be put down like a rabid wolf? 

Having never read anything from Kelly Armstrong before, I was simply perusing Men of the Otherworld-wondering if I should review it-when I became completely hooked on page one. I love Ms. Armstrong's gritty writing style which sucks you in and makes you part of the novel. Told in the first person (except for Malcolm's story which surrounds Jeremy's birth), it was a real thrill to watch Clayton grow from a frightened werewolf child to a cocky adult werewolf. Clayton's youth is kind of like a werewolf version of the Helen Keller story: he doesn't want to talk, not seeing the logic behind it when grunting and pointing gets the message across; and he has a temper which causes him to throw things around-I'm talking end tables which he smashes against the wall because Jeremy won't let him go outside until Clayton says his request in a full sentence (and Jeremy has the patience of a saint, I might add). Though we discover that Clayton does find his werewolf mate much later on, and we do get to meet Jeremy's mate, this is not a paranormal romance-more like a paranormal novel with a sprinkling of romantic elements. I found Men of the Otherworld utterly fascinating and certainly look forward to reading any future books by Kelley Armstrong.