‘The Wolves Of London: The Obsidian Heart’ is the latest novel by Mark Morris and is the first in a new trilogy that he is developing for Titan Books. It will be followed up by ‘The Society of Blood’ and ‘The Wraiths of War,’ which are set to deliver us a single yet distinctive story that spans multiple time periods. How is that possible you may ask? Well, we’ve got time travel ahead of us ladies and gentlemen!
‘The Wolves of London’ takes on a ride that mixes horror and science fiction for a ton of fun. In the novel we follow Alex Locke who is a former convict that has broken free from the criminal underworld. That is, he was free until of it until he is forced back into a life of crime. He is tasked with finding an ancient artifact known as the Obsidian Heart. Those who are making him help recover it aren’t playing nice either as they are forcing him by having kidnapped his five year old daughter.
Now if that isn’t motivation I don’t know what is.
The characters all have a highly realistic element which is good because it offsets the science fiction that is at play. While things start off as grounded they change as the novel goes on. Being a career criminal, it doesn’t take him long to fall back into his old patterns as his skills, honed over years of use quickly resurface. The task at hand actually doesn’t prove to bee too difficult in the grand scheme of things. So if this is just a simple heist where does the science fiction kick in?
Once Locke is able to actually obtain the heart that’s when things specifically get a little more interesting. Not only does it give whoever has it supernatural abilities, but it also gives them the ability to travel through time. Talk about a great combination! Suddenly he has the upper hand against his daughter’s captors. He quickly has the plan to use these powers and abilities to save his daughter, however, every time its power flows through him, the good in his heart is slowly eaten away. It is robbing him of the person that he has become and leaving a much darker man in its wake.
Can he sacrifice his very soul to save his daughter? In doing so, will he even be the man that she still loves? Will he still love her the way that he has and still care to continue his quest? There is a large bargain to pay for her safety and while any parent would risk everything for their child that might be just what Locke actually has to do here.
The novel is a fun read and one that is absolutely worth picking up if you like your genres mixed up in a way that flows naturally throughout the novel. Morris not only excels at character development but suspense and build up as well. You’ll have trouble putting the book down and most likely it will be a quick read as you tell yourself you’ll put it down after just one more chapter.
