What is the name of this fantasy novel?
May 30, 2011 10:41 PM Subscribe
Trying to recall a fantasy novel I read at an inappropriately young age called "Wolf" something or other, which was the name of the hairy, sexy barbarian "wolfman" who is the bodice-ripping "hero" -- it might be based on Celtic mythology and has monsters and demons in it.
My memories of the book are like a weird fragmented fever dream, hopefully some of these scene descriptions will be sufficient to trigger someone's recollection:
The book begins with the beautiful young heroine in a medieval town, where everyone is trying to rape her because they're horny uncouth peasants. She escapes into this alternate magical dimension where she meets a wolf barbarian guy (he lives with wolves or wears wolfskins or something like that? but he isn't actually a werewolf, despite being wolfish) and he's vaguely rapey but in a sexy way, and I think they have some kind of a love making scene on his wolf skins in his wolf den. Then the heroine gets kidnapped by an evil lesbian snake woman who sexually violates her, as part of an evil ceremony. But the Wolfsomething guy saves her! and then they probably have sex.
This isn't a joke... This is a real book!
Oh and my cover of the book pictured the "wolf" character wearing furs roaring and brandishing a spear on it.
Essentially the way I remember it was as some kind of surrealist pagan rape fantasy novel with monsters, which had a formative effect on my sexuality!
My memories of the book are like a weird fragmented fever dream, hopefully some of these scene descriptions will be sufficient to trigger someone's recollection:
The book begins with the beautiful young heroine in a medieval town, where everyone is trying to rape her because they're horny uncouth peasants. She escapes into this alternate magical dimension where she meets a wolf barbarian guy (he lives with wolves or wears wolfskins or something like that? but he isn't actually a werewolf, despite being wolfish) and he's vaguely rapey but in a sexy way, and I think they have some kind of a love making scene on his wolf skins in his wolf den. Then the heroine gets kidnapped by an evil lesbian snake woman who sexually violates her, as part of an evil ceremony. But the Wolfsomething guy saves her! and then they probably have sex.
This isn't a joke... This is a real book!
Oh and my cover of the book pictured the "wolf" character wearing furs roaring and brandishing a spear on it.
Essentially the way I remember it was as some kind of surrealist pagan rape fantasy novel with monsters, which had a formative effect on my sexuality!
Smart Bitches, Trashy Books has a feature called Help a Bitch Out where they ID vaguely remembered romance novels. Maybe try emailing them?
posted by ridiculous at 5:43 AM on May 31, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by ridiculous at 5:43 AM on May 31, 2011 [2 favorites]
I'm pretty sure I also read this, probably also inappropriately young. I don't remember the title or author, but I can still picture the cover. So at least you aren't crazy...
posted by Forktine at 5:44 AM on May 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Forktine at 5:44 AM on May 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm not sure this is right but "Prisoner of the Horned Helmet" By James Silke has those elements in it.
Robin Lakehair is the girl. Gath of Baal lives with a wolf or two in the woods. The bad guy is the Serpent Queen.
Gath steal a magic helmet belonging to the Really Evil God. The thing tries to possess him, only Robin can remove it... any of that sound familiar.
Lots of bad things happen to Robin, including being kidnapped by the Queen of Serpents, put in a giant glass bottle and subjected to various things.
Any of this ringing a bell?
posted by ServSci at 6:02 AM on May 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Robin Lakehair is the girl. Gath of Baal lives with a wolf or two in the woods. The bad guy is the Serpent Queen.
Gath steal a magic helmet belonging to the Really Evil God. The thing tries to possess him, only Robin can remove it... any of that sound familiar.
Lots of bad things happen to Robin, including being kidnapped by the Queen of Serpents, put in a giant glass bottle and subjected to various things.
Any of this ringing a bell?
posted by ServSci at 6:02 AM on May 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: How about "Wolfking" by Bridget Wood, which came out in 1991 in the UK and 1994 in the US?
Here's what I remember of it, from one mentally scarring read twenty years ago:
Its initial setting is a post-apocalyptic Ireland that's very mediaeval in feel. The heroine's name is Joanna. Her father is trying to marry her off to someone deeply undesirable (older, uncouth, unattractive and not very personable), and he's trying to claim his anticipated marital rights. Understandably horrified, she flees into the alternative world of Ireland-from-the-time-of-heroes, complete with titular wolfking, villainous Erl King, and an evil lesbian snake woman with a nasty line in molestation. Also, monsters.
Beyond that, I remember very little: I think a bar of metal (iron? silver?) played an important part in the story, and I think there were some fairly gruesome scenes in addition to the surrealist pagan rape fantasy stuff. (I also think naive fifteen-year-old me should have chosen a little more carefully at the library, but there you go.)
It looks as if both the British and American covers could fit your description. Here they are on LibraryThing.
Looking familiar at all?
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 2:28 PM on May 31, 2011 [3 favorites]
Here's what I remember of it, from one mentally scarring read twenty years ago:
Its initial setting is a post-apocalyptic Ireland that's very mediaeval in feel. The heroine's name is Joanna. Her father is trying to marry her off to someone deeply undesirable (older, uncouth, unattractive and not very personable), and he's trying to claim his anticipated marital rights. Understandably horrified, she flees into the alternative world of Ireland-from-the-time-of-heroes, complete with titular wolfking, villainous Erl King, and an evil lesbian snake woman with a nasty line in molestation. Also, monsters.
Beyond that, I remember very little: I think a bar of metal (iron? silver?) played an important part in the story, and I think there were some fairly gruesome scenes in addition to the surrealist pagan rape fantasy stuff. (I also think naive fifteen-year-old me should have chosen a little more carefully at the library, but there you go.)
It looks as if both the British and American covers could fit your description. Here they are on LibraryThing.
Looking familiar at all?
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 2:28 PM on May 31, 2011 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Yes! it was Wolfking! thanks so much. I read this as a kid & was actually kind of turned on by evil lesbian snake woman... I'm glad this wasn't just some kind of hallucinatory wet dream nightmare!
posted by unicazurn at 4:57 PM on May 31, 2011
posted by unicazurn at 4:57 PM on May 31, 2011
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"Surrealist pagan rape fantasy novel with monsters" is almost it's own genre.
posted by Avenger at 3:00 AM on May 31, 2011 [1 favorite]