I review a lot of books, so I need to read a lot of books. It isn't as often as I'd prefer that I'm able to slip into the story as easily I was through this one. From the family dynamic of the story and the characters I fell in love with to the wonderful narration by Richard Turner, this book was absolutely a winner for me. It was one of those books I could turn on and instantly feel relaxed, but like any story you get invested in, it eventually had an ending, and I can honestly say it was very difficult to say goodbye to this world.

I wasn't familiar with Helen Steadman before beginning this book, but at this point I have read a few of her offerings already. I can honestly say she excels at writing historical fiction, and while this story is definitely not without its trials and dangers, it's well written and intimate. You follow a German family learning to live in England in the late 1600s and prosper as swordmakers, a dying trade. The familial aspect raises the stakes so much higher. From my memory, nothing in this book felt entirely inconsequential, but some of my favourite chapters are where very little happened. To simply be a part of this family and to live with them over so many years made any problems surrounding them feel more personal.

Some other reviewers have made reference to the time jump to the end of the story every other chapter or so, building an ending early that doesn't feel relevant until the main story is able to catch up, but I actually enjoyed it. At the end of many chapters you're fed another breadcrumb that something will eventually end up happening, and it felt disconnected for so long because you're spending so much time with this family in their earlier years. I thought it was an interesting way to remind you that this whole book is building up to something, and it kept me interested to find out what. As I mentioned, it was relaxing to follow the characters going about their day-to-day lives, but after a while, perhaps it could become redundant. Putting those brief teaser chapters in there was a good balance. They keep the pace moving, but they could probably also be skipped and gone back to read in order at the end of the book, if you would prefer.

I really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend picking up a copy of the audiobook for Richard Turner's wonderful narration. I regret that there isn't more of it, but I'm finding the familiarity I miss from this story in some of Helen Steadman's other novels. I'm a big fan of these historical fiction novels and I'm excited to hear more from her.

Thanks to Helen Steadman and Impress Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review, it was very much appreciated. ( )

I received this book as an early reviewer. It was an audio book.
The story and the history (England brings experienced German blacksmiths to their country to forge swords) was quite fun to hear about. The narrator has a very calming voice, but didn’t distinguish the different voices all that well. It took me quite some time to figure out that the chapters rotated between 2 different times (although the different time frames were narrated by different people altogether).
I rated this a 3 out of 5 stars due to the narration as well as the slowness of the story. There were lost opportunities to include more intrigue and romance in the story.
I enjoyed it, but would’ve preferred if the story was told as a linear arc, rather that the back and forth between two times that the author chose. ( )

This book is about a German sword maker and his family that has relocated to England in the late 17th century. While the story was informative and the narration was wonderful, I did find it quite slow to get going. I did like the nuances of the home life and the struggle to hold on to the German identity, especially as the daughter gets to be of a marrying age. However, I did not connect to the characters as much as I would like to, and think it could have been a little deeper. Overall, a good story and narration though!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review ( )

I've read enough historical novels, and been disappointed by enough historical novels, that I generally steer clear. I don't look for history lessons, or elaborate descriptions of a petticoat. The Running Wolf is not a historical novel; it is a family drama played out over many years that happens to be set in the last 17th century. Hermann has moved his wife, daughter and aged mother across Europe to resettle in England. That move brings great tension into the home - one that anyone who has moved far from home will recognize. Was this the right choice? How will our children adapt? At what point will they be more from this new place than from the old one, and can we ever make the same transition? Told in a series of flashbacks while Hermann sits in jail awaiting execution, Helen Steadman brings to life an intricate cast of characters among the German immigrants and their English neighbors. The Germans, all swordsmiths, struggle to adapt to their new home and to the changes wrought on the their livelihood by the spread of firearms as the dominant weapon of war. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and while Herman's return to Germany brings the two halves of the novel together from a plot standpoint, I was much more interested in the catharsis that the return home brings his family. ( )

The Running Wolf feels like being a fly on the wall in a 16 – 1700s family’s home. You hear what they hear, you see what they see and it takes you along on their journey. The characters are all well done, they feel human. They have their charms and quirks, they have their issues and desires. Each character’s dialogue, thoughts, actions, emotions, etc. all feel distinct and realistic.

Beyond that, I have little to nothing to say about it. It really didn’t evoke any thoughts, feelings, or emotions in me. I just found it to be a pleasant and interesting ride to join these characters on.

Overall, the narration was pretty good. I occasionally had trouble telling who was who at times. The lines are spoken loud and clear, and dialogue is well done, but character voices are seriously lacking in some instances. I also got sick of the narrator repeatedly saying “17o3”. O isn’t a number, it’s a letter. It’s 1703 and that will never stop annoying the hell out of me.

NOTE: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a digital review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval. ( )