Cycle of the Werewolf

I thought Cycle of the Werewolf was going to be a bit crap at first, but I was wrong. When has Stephen King ever done crap, seriously?

It starts out as a set of short stories about various werewolf attacks based in the same town, but as you read on it turns into a set of interrelated events and cycles.

Chapter 7 (July) is where it really takes off, drawing you into a story where you get to know and like the main characters, especially wheelchair-bound Marty and his life in his bedroom, waiting for everyone to go to bed and quiet down so he can get up to some tricks.

That’s Stephen King’s skill of drawing you into the family circle and making you feel right at home before shoving a firework up your ass!

Fun and almost throwaway at first with a bit of a YA and less than serious feel, there's an inevitable darker element that serves as a sort of moral code to bind all the story elements together.

Most importantly it's an enjoyable read as you wander around Tarker's Mills, waiting for the next month and full moon cycle, anticipating plot build up and trying to figure out who will win between man and werewolf.

And it’s mercilessly short for a Stephen King novel and can be read in a couple of sittings.

The only negative point is the lack of illustrations in the Kindle version, even though they are advertised on the front cover of the book. Come on, Amazon, the images are really important for immersion and atmosphere.

But I really enjoyed the lighter and humorous elements of this book with its darker twist and interesting take on the werewolf theme.