Book three of Dorothy Hearst's Wolf Chronicles series (Promise of the Wolves; Secrets of the Wolves) opens shortly after Kaala, a young female, mixed-blood wolf, has survived an attack by a male human. Because she's befriended a young girl, Kaala is distrusted and no longer welcome with her pack, the wolves of Swift River. Determined to continue her task of bringing about peace between humans and wolves, Kaala leaves the Swift River area with her human companion, TaLi, a few younger packmates and a helpful raven to find her absentee mother, who might have answers to the questions that fill Kaala's mind.
Kaala knows, "When I defied my pack and the Greatwolves to be with TaLi, I discovered that our legends were lies, and learned the true Promise of the Wide Valley Wolves; we were to be guardians of the humans and to watch over them for all time." With the help of the raven, she's able to meld minds with others, which enables her to fight off both the Greatwolves and the humans and provides Kaala with insights into the ways in which some humans are turning against nature. This only solidifies Kaala's desire to fulfill the Promise, regardless of the costs.
Hearst has adroitly blended realistic descriptions of wolves on the hunt, at play and as they establish their hierarchy into the story, giving readers a fantastic sense of these creatures' nature. Imaginative and inventive, with an underlying message regarding humans and their approach to the environment, Spirit of the Wolves is a robust adventure. --Lee E. Cart, freelance writer and book reviewer