At the beginning of the novel Torak's father is attacked by a bear possessed by a demon. Following a vicious fight, the mortally wounded father makes his young son swear that he will find the Mountain of the World Spirit, and ask it to kill the bear before it destroys all life in the forest. The subsequent death of his dad sets in motion an adventure that takes Torak through the forest and towards the magical mountain. In the process, he befriends a wolf who accompanies him on his journey, discovers the secret of who he is, comes into contact with other tribes, learns about an ancient prophecy and fights the demon bear.
This is an enjoyable adventure that will capture the imagination of children and adult alike. To properly describe the feeling of living in the woods during the Neolithic era, author Michelle Paver travelled in the forests of Finland, as well as going to a wolf reserve. This research is clearly evident in the interactions between Torak and his wolf "brother", as the scenes comes across as very realistic. While this book is not among the best children's novels that I have read, it is still quite good, and I plan to read the other volumes in the series.
3 1/2 stars out of 5
