# Review:  The Tiger and the Wolf by Adrian Tchaikovsky



## The Judge (Jul 17, 2018)

Adrian Tchaikovsky's *The Tiger and the Wolf* is a fantasy novel, the first in a series, published 2016 by Pan Macmillan.  590 pages in large (5" x 7¾") paperback.

Maniye belongs to the Wolf, which means that, like the rest of her father's Winter Runner tribe, she can instantly Step into a wolf's form, taking on all the animal's attributes.  But she also belongs to the Tiger, for she is the product of rape -- her mother was captured in battle, forced to bear a child, then taken away to be killed -- so she can also become a tiger.  These two souls possess Maniye, but while she lives with the tribe she must keep the cat hidden, for Wolf and Tiger are mortal enemies.

Wolf tribes are led by dominant males, and two men may fight to the death to be chieftain, but tigers are led by a queen, whose daughter will follow her.  Maniye's mother was Queen of the Shadow Eaters, so, her father believes, Maniye is entitled to the throne.  Now Maniye is 14 and has passed her Testing to become an adult, he plots for her to claim her inheritance.  He will then rule both his own tribe -- and, he intends, eventually the whole Wolf clan -- and, through Maniye, the tigers, giving him unprecedented power.  This, Maniye could accept, but his further plan terrifies her, for to ensure her obedience and adherence to the Wolf, she is to become the wife of Broken Axe, undefeated warrior, lone wolf, and her mother's executioner.

So Maniye runs, taking with her a Serpent priest who was to be a sacrifice to the Wolf -- he has left his own lands far to the south, seeking other priests and adepts of foreseeing, in order to uncover the danger he fears is coming to the world.  As they escape through the winter of the cold northern wastes, pursued by Broken Axe, they meet with Horse traders and Bears, and friendships and alliances are formed.  They also encounter other travellers from the far south, on their own perilous journey, and, in due course, the Shadow Eaters themselves.  Maniye faces danger and betrayal, but the greatest threat is the one contained within, for the two souls possessing Maniye fight for dominance, and unless she can control them, their war will destroy her.

*The Tiger and the Wolf* can be seen as a coming-of-age story, as Maniye learns of the greater world outside the confines of her tribe, and as she comes to terms with her tiger and wolf souls.  But it isn't a YA novel, for despite her age Maniye is an adult within the terms of the novel, and all the other characters, both good and bad, are older than she is, many of them much older.  And -- fortunately -- there's no love interest, no extended angsting, no sexual awakening, no rebellion against the adult realm.  On the other hand, it isn't an "adult" novel.  No sex or sexual violence is seen on the page, though it's off-screen and alluded to; there's physical abuse, brutality and bloodshed and threats of worse, but there's no revelling in it; no bodily functions, not even any foul language.  It isn't a sanitised world, though; just one which sees no glory in grimdarkness.

And it's a world which is wonderfully drawn, from the heat of the Sun River Nation which is part Meso-america, part Egypt, through the plains of the Laughing People, all the way to the Canadian Arctic-like cold of the Crown of the World, and Tchaikovsky peoples it with crocodile, lizard, hyena, boar, deer, hawk and owl, all of whom are human but wear their animal natures even before they Step. Variety is expressed not only in the difference of clan animal and colour of skin, but in every aspect of their lives, their food, their clothes, their houses -- burrowed into the ground, worked in wood or in stone -- and most of all in their weapons.  The southerners have jade and obsidian flakes embedded in wooden clubs, tigers and others have bronze, but only Maniye's own people have learned how to make the "Wolf wood" which allows them to smelt iron for their knives and arrowheads.  The smelting and charcoal burning is also bound up in their shamanistic priesthood and ceremonies, and in their beliefs and their gods.  And these gods are alive to their people -- Maniye feels the Wolf's breath as he watches her escape, she sees the Tiger's shadow in the halls of her mother's kin, she even senses the Serpent which coils under the land.

*The Tiger and the Wolf* is a thoroughly enjoyable read, ticking all my must-have boxes.  Description is good, especially concerning the natural world which is hostile and implacable, yet also beautiful and live-giving.  Characters are varied, well drawn and utterly believable, not least Maniye herself who starts the novel as a small fearful creature, abused and outcast, and gains in strength and determination as the book progresses.  There is a depth of history, abounding with stories and legends, and the danger the Serpent priest has foreseen is undoubtedly linked with past horrors which saw the splitting of the people into separate clans.

The novel has a somewhat leisurely pace to start, with a good deal of background and history dropped into the story, but in Tchaikovsky's sure hands it never feels too slow or info-dumpy, and the action scenes are well-handled and exciting -- there are many fights which are cleverly choreographed, with humans Stepping to animals and back again seeking the killing blow with knife and teeth, fists and claws. One minor criticism I would make is that for my taste there are a lot of such fights but I'm well aware that others will relish them, and they're not too repetitive thanks to an everchanging cast of combatants.  I was also slightly disappointed by the ending which was well foreshadowed, and in part what I expected, but which still felt perhaps a little too convenient and easy.

Overall, a very good, well written story, and a worthy winner of the Best Novel at the British Fantasy Awards.  Highly recommended for all lovers of epic and heroic fantasy.

This is the first novel in the *Echoes of the Fall* series.  The sequel, _The Bear and the Serpent_ came out in 2017 (I went straight out and bought it) and the third book, _The Hawk and the Hyena_, is due out in October.

The Tiger and the Wolf is available on Amazon UK and Amazon.com.


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## Brian G Turner (Jul 17, 2018)

I wasn't aware of this book, but I love the cover and I do like the sound of it - will definitely keep an eye out for this. 

EDIT: Added to wishlist on Amazon.


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## picklematrix (Jul 17, 2018)

I like this series a lot also. About to read the final one in the series.


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## williamjm (Jul 18, 2018)

The Judge said:


> This is the first novel in the *Echoes of the Fall* series.  The sequel, _The Bear and the Serpent_ came out in 2017 (I went straight out and bought it) and the third book, _The Hawk and the Hyena_, is due out in October.



The final book is already out, I read it a couple of months ago. I thought it was a good trilogy, the world may not be as complex as in Tchaikovsky's _Shadows of the Apt_ series, but it has some unique features and I thought he did a good job of showing how living in such a world would impact on how the characters acted and thought. I liked the characterisation as well, there were some memorable characters in it. 



Brian G Turner said:


> I love the cover



I have the hardback edition, it does look great.


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## The Judge (Jul 18, 2018)

Thanks for that, william.  I thought the date on the Pan Macmillan site seemed at odds with so many reviews, but just assumed they'd sent out a lot of advance copies!


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## Bugg (Jul 18, 2018)

I wasn't really a fan of Tchaikovsky's Apt series.  I read the first two books and bounced off them hard and never went further.  But I read Children of Time last year and thought it was fantastic, so you've prompted me to give this one a go.  Thanks for the review!


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## williamjm (Jul 18, 2018)

The Judge said:


> Thanks for that, william.  I thought the date on the Pan Macmillan site seemed at odds with so many reviews, but just assumed they'd sent out a lot of advance copies!



Maybe it's the paperback release that's out in October, it's the hardback I have?


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## The Judge (Jul 18, 2018)

That might be it. Or it might be I completely misread the Pan Macmillan site!


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## The Big Peat (Jul 18, 2018)

I got The Bear and the Serpent on a kindle deal, loved the first few pages, and am now waiting a good chance to pick up this cheap so I can read the whole thing


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## althea (Jul 18, 2018)

I am loving the reviews and this one in particular.I've just downloaded the trilogy onto my Kindle.
I have read some Adrian Tchaikovsky,but it was a long time ago. I find him a very creative writer.
Whenever am I going to find time for housework!


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## Bugg (Jul 19, 2018)

Yesterday - at the same time as buying this - I also bought his standalone novel *Guns of the Dawn*.  The mix of (as one review described it) Napoleonic Wars meets Jane Austen meets Vietnam meets fantasy was too appealing to me to pass by.  Of course, now I have no idea which to read first


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## The Judge (Jul 19, 2018)

*Guns of the Dawn* is a standalone, but it's longer than *The Tiger...* and I found it much slower-going at least in the first third/half, if that has a bearing on the order you read them.  I have to say I wasn't very taken with it, and to my mind anyone who is comparing it to Jane Austen obviously hasn't read her books with any care.  I gave two mini-reviews of it, at about half-way through in January's reading thread and then at the end in February's if you wanted more of my thoughts on it.


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## Bugg (Jul 24, 2018)

Read the first 50 pages of this on the tube this morning.  Enjoying it so far.


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## Bugg (Jul 25, 2018)

150 pages in.  Given the way some of the characters are named I'm still waiting for Kicking Bird, Wind In His Hair and Stands With A Fist to turn up 

This book is really confusing me, though.  Not because _it's _confusing, but because I'm enjoying it so much - so much that I appear to be giving a daily update on my progress (don't worry, I won't!).  This makes two of his books that I've read in the past year that I've enjoyed and it's making me wonder why I bounced off the 'Shadows of the Apt' series to the extent that I did.  Has his writing style improved that much?  Did I miss something in them?  Was I just not in the mood?  Hmm.  If I continue to enjoy this book and this trilogy to this extent I may have to go back and re-investigate that series and, having avoided his work for so long, this amazes me.


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## althea (Jul 26, 2018)

I have just finished The Tiger and The Wolf. I loved it. I am dying to start on the next one but I must get some things done before I start. Once I start ,all I want to do is read. Sadly, my cooking has gone to the dogs (not literally) because I want to spend more time reading.Salad anyone?


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## picklematrix (Feb 28, 2019)

I'm glad people are enjoying this series. It is something a little bit unique in the fantasy world. I wouldn't mind if Tchaikovsky were to another trilogy or two in the same setting. 
The writing feels quite mythical and bygone, and I think that's the part I really like. Though people morphing into animals will never not be cool to start with.


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## althea (Mar 3, 2019)

I thoroughly enjoyed this trilogy and know that I have other books by Tchaikovsky that I didn't get into at the time.I think I will look them out and see if maybe,I have changed my mind.(It has been known.)


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