The Wolf (The UNDER THE NORTHERN SKY Series, Book 1) cover art

The Wolf (The UNDER THE NORTHERN SKY Series, Book 1)

A sweeping epic fantasy

 Preview

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Standard auto renews for £5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Wolf (The UNDER THE NORTHERN SKY Series, Book 1)

By: Leo Carew
Narrated by: Matt Addis
Try Standard free

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £15.11

Buy Now for £15.11

About this listen

 Leo Carew's debut novel The Wolf, the first book in the Under the Northern Sky series, is a masterpiece in epic historical fantasy - a new voice to rival David Gemmell or George RR Martin.

A great war has come to the land under the Northern Sky.

Beyond the Black River, among the forests and mountains of the north, lives an ancient race of people. Their lives are measured in centuries, not decades; they revel in wilderness and resilience, and they scorn wealth and comfort.

By contrast, those in the south live in the moment, their lives more fleeting. They crave wealth and power, their ambition is limitless, and their cunning unmatched.

When the armies of the south flood across the Black River, the fragile peace between the two races is shattered. On a lightning-struck battlefield, the two sides will fight - for their people, for their land, for their very survival.

Two sides. One victor.

The Wolf is a thrilling, savagely visceral, politically nuanced and unexpectedly wry exploration of power and identity - and how far one will go to defend them.

(P)2018 Headline Publishing Group Ltd©2018 Leo Carew Epic Fantasy Historical Military Fiction War

Critic reviews

The next George RR Martin
Imagine Game of Thrones rewritten by John le Carré . . . A marvellously accomplished debut
Gripping and ambitious . . . twisty in its political maneuverings, gritty in its battle descriptions, and rich with a sense of heroism and glory
The Wolf is a work of extraordinary imagination and perhaps the most captivating first novel I've ever read
When inexperienced young Roper unexpectedly inherits the throne he quickly realises his reign is going to be memorable only for its brevity unless he can he can recruit a handful of crafty outsiders to teach him how to stay alive. Full of dark conspiracies, larger-than-life characters, and tense battles, Leo Carew has created a rousing cross between The Magnificent Seven and Game of Thrones (Paul Hoffman, author of The Left Hand of God)
An action-packed and blood-splattered tour de force . . . Carew is the real deal - an exciting new voice in fantasy
As bleak and brutal as the northern snows, a new voice in epic fantasy (Gareth L. Powell)
The characters are memorable and entertaining . . . and this is a striking debut
A confident first novel . . . It's a cliché to compare up-and-coming authors with David Gemmell or George RR Martin. So instead let's imagine this shouldering in between James Abbott's The Never King and Joe Abercrombie's Half a King series (Dave Bradley)
The Wolf is [a] ferocious epic fantasy debut . . . You don't want to miss this one (Ardi Alspach)
All stars
Most relevant
As Bernard Cornwell is my goto author for a good old dose of historical fiction (or as I call it: true fantasy) I was looking for something similar to his work but with a ‘new voice’ so to speak. In this book I was given a spoonful of exactly what I was seeking. Carew is an intelligent yet unpretentious writer who has adopted an anthropological concept which I have hitherto not yet come across in any other medieval fantasy. Two very different species have evolved from the primates and now each oppose the other for survival and vi for domination of Albion (obviously Britain). It’s a beautifully crafted story told from both sides and with enough bloody battles, devious females, and political intrigue to keep the narrative moving in an interesting direction. The characters act believably and the narrator expertly keeps the voices consistent and identifiable. I cannot wait to delve into the sequel. Well done!

Superb!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Similar to Bernard Cornwall style
in depth charaters great battle description
Slowish start well worth reading

Enjoyable read slow start but stick with it

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
It's not a bad book well written but a bit slow with not a lot happening till the last couple of hours. Narrator is good but not great

Okay

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I really enjoyed listening to this book. The premise was appealing but I could not believe just how much I would enjoy it. I would definitely reccomend if you are also a fan of the genre. I'm looking forward to the next instalment.

Thoroughly enjoyable

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I bought this book in error. I don’t really do fantasy genre but I was hooked by page 2.

Twists turns and plots without the inevitable ‘I can guess where this is going’ scenarios.

I normally listen when driving or walking the dog but this tale had me listening at the dining table, in bed & whilst gardening.

I’ve now started the sequel. Who knows maybe fantasy is my new girl genre.

Talented author. Great yarn.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews