The Company of the Wolf by David Wragg the second in The Tales of the Plain series. Released 29 August 2024

As they look for a better life Ree and Javani travel through the mountains to find a place of safety, on their way they come across a strange situation of a peaceful village “protected” by a mercenary company, but not all is at it seems and soon they find themselves immersed in a complex situation as they try to unravel the secrets of the village.

I enjoyed the first book in this series and was delighted to get an e-arc thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK

The plot kept me hooked right from the start as we meet Javani and Ree on the road and how the complications begin from first meeting the people of the village Ar Ramas and the mercenary company. As the relationships grow and develop and the arrival of more people throws things into further chaos as Ree in particular battles with how the world is versus how the people of the village see the world.

I really liked the characters, it was great to return to Javani and Ree and to see how their relationship is growing after the events of the last book. The new characters we meet are fantastic. Captain Manatas was one of those that really stood out for me and how he saw his place in the company he was in and what it meant to him which was very different to many of the others. There are so many great characters in this book I can’t mention them all.

The worldbuilding was really well done and it added another element that kept me engaged in the book as we learn about the mercenaries the villagers and the the valley they inhabit as well as hearing some of the stories of other nations and peoples in the world however, the book is based in the valley.

Overall I would happily recommend this book to any fans of fantasy but be sure you read book 1 The Hunters first. The Company of the Wolf in my opinion is the author’s best book so far.

The Company of the Wolf was a worthy successor to the first book, The Hunters. It is exciting and the characters were just as engaging.

Much like the first book, this story is largely contained to the one book but forms a larger picture overall. I like this method of storytelling. You get to spend a whole book learning more about the characters involved and you get a good story that has a complete beginning, middle and end.

I’ve always enjoyed Wragg’s novels for the humour as well as the drama and this book has both in spades. There were times I was howling with laughter and there were times when I was concerned for the safety of all the characters involved.

The central relationship is the one I like the most and the one I am most invested in. The parent/child relationship between Ree and Javani is the highlight of the series and I love every scene they spend together. They work together well and I love how the two bounce off each other. The other characters are just as enjoyable to read but I adore those two together the most.

The Company of the Wolf is a very enjoyable read. It is exciting with some excellent character moments. I love how the characters have moved on from the first book and have encountered something new, it keeps the story fresh and even though this particular story has concluded, I am very interested in seeing what happens to Ree and Javani next.

I was super pleased when I got granted the access to read this as I LOVED the Hunters. Admittedly it took me a few chapters to get into this one, it seemed slower than the Hunters but my goodness when it got going... It didn't stop! I always enjoyed it though because of Wraggs fantastic writing style and the rich and interesting characters he developed. Ree and Javani remind me a little of me and my eldest with the snarky banter underlined with heaps of love. Javani was a great mixture of being on the cusp of her teenage years and yet still having lots of childlike qualities. I loved Rees constantly calling the Captain the wrong name and found it hilarious, I knew where that would go pretty early on and wasn't disappointed at all. Tauras is the purest soul ever and just deserves the world. I loved his addition and really hope to see more of him in the next book.

David has a brilliant world building narrative but his focus on character development is what really draws me to these books, we all know I love a found family vibe and finding somewhere you belong in this world is a beautiful thing

I don't feel like I can say much more without giving away too much but honestly, you need to read this series. All of you.

Thank you to @harpercollinsuk for the early access

Dave Wragg continues to be one of the best, and most criminally underrated, authors working in modern fantasy today.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the Articles of Faith duology, with Tales of the Plains, Wragg has stepped up in terms of craft, storytelling, and sheer manic comedy.
Not many people can make you cry on one page, and then cry with laughter a few pages later. I hesitate to make a comparison this big, but I really can't think of anyone else: his work, while being very, VERY different in scope and approach and number of expletives, reminds me in this regard of the great Sir PTerry Pratchett.
Company of the Wolf picks up soon after The Hunters, with Ree and Javani slogging through the mountains in an effort to get to the fabled Ashadi, land of milk and honey. Things are, predictably, going about as well as you would expect. They get even more like you would expect, in terms of cock-ups, miscommunication, Ree's general levels of irritability (stratospheric) and Javani's world-shatteringly large pre-teenage attitude.
where The Hunters moved a breathless, frenetic pace - you can't really have a chase that doesn't, unless it's a very boring one - things are slightly slower with COTW, at least in the beginning.
Javani's act of heroism when she saves a stranger from an attack by bandits on the road results in, well, let's just say Ree would rather she'd left the poor man to the bandits' predations. And so, it would seem, would the rest of the town they stumble upon not long after.
What follows is a tale of found and actual family, and navigating the joys and pitfalls of both, set against a backdrop of ever-increasing tension with the promise of ecstatic violence drawing closer by the day.
Wragg's gift for character is matched only by his gift for giving those characters absolutely unforgettable voices, and in this we are treated to two prime examples - Captain Manatas, and Anri the hunter. Never have I read dialogue like it, and some of Anri's truly astonishing insults will stay with me forever.
There's absolutely no middle-book slump here, or even a slump in the middle of the book.
The characters are in the driving seat of this narrative, and whether they're driving you off a cliff or up the wall, there's nothing the reader can do but cling on - and enjoy every second of the ride.
Sublime.

“The Company of the Wolf” by David Wragg is a standout entry in modern fantasy. I’ve heard it described as a grassroots fantasy and find this to be an apt description. Wragg delivers a tale that’s small in scale but large in heart, with underdog heroes you can’t help but root for. It’s a story about growing up, growing old, betrayal, and the pursuit of dreams, all wrapped in a gritty yet humorous narrative that tugs at the heartstrings while keeping you entertained.

The story follows Ree, a middle-aged warrior, and her recently realized daughter Javani, still on the hunt for a better life free from the constant dangers that seem to follow them. Though this book is a sequel and there is much to be gained by reading its predecessor, “The Company of the Wolf” is a solid stand-alone that doesn’t rely on the previous story for much context.

Their journey leads them to a seemingly peaceful village, Ar Ramas, where the residents shun violence in favor of an idyllic, pacifist existence. However, this fragile peace is threatened by a group of mercenaries, The Company of the Wolf, who exploit the villagers under the guise of protection. As Ree and Javani navigate this tense situation, the narrative dives into complex themes of violence, morality, and survival.

Wragg’s storytelling is sharp, with dialogue that crackles with wit and banter, reminiscent of the Firefly tv series. His characters are wonderfully crafted, from the prickly yet endearing relationship between Ree and Javani to the colorful residents of Ar Ramas, each with their own hidden depths. The evolution of Ree and Javani’s dynamic, moving towards a mother-daughter bond, is one of the story’s highlights, filled with both tenderness and tension as they both tentatively feel out their new-found roles.

One of the novel's strengths is its exploration of the nature of violence. Where many fantasy stories glorify combat, “The Company of the Wolf” takes a different approach, questioning the cost of peace and the consequences of avoiding conflict at all costs. This thematic depth is reminiscent of M.L. Wang’s “The Sword of Kaigen”. Like Wang, Wragg’s exploration of violence both thought-provoking and integral to the story.

The village of Ar Ramas and its inhabitants are brought to life with nuance and care. Characters like Camellia, the village leader who opposes Ree’s every action, and Anri, the grumpy hunter with a hidden past, add layers of complexity to the narrative. Wragg excels at making you care about these people, even as their flaws frustrate you. No character is left flat in this story, no matter their role. A strong skill that Wragg has carried over from his previous works.

Of course, Wragg doesn’t shy away from giving us a villain to despise. Lado of Cstethia, the manipulative member of The Company of the Wolf, is a masterclass in creating an antagonist you love to hate. His cunning and ruthless nature make him a formidable foe, and his presence raises the stakes for our heroes in every encounter. His every action is transparent to the reader in subtle ways as you are given peaks into how he is pulling the strings toward his violent, ambitious goals. He is aggravating in a most satisfying way for a villain.

Despite the serious themes, Wragg’s humor shines through, with laugh-out-loud moments that balance the darker tones of the story. Captain Manatas, a mercenary with a penchant for overly formal speech, provides a delightful contrast to Ree’s blunt pragmatism, and their interactions are some of the most enjoyable in the book.

In “The Company of the Wolf”, Wragg proves once again that he’s a master of blending sharp wit with deep emotional resonance. This is a fantasy Western where the underdogs face impossible odds, and you’ll be gripped until the very end. It’s a low fantasy with high stakes, a tale of survival and morality that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page. Wragg is growing as a writer, and this novel is a great stepping stone for more great modern fantasy in the future.

This reviewer would like to thank David Wragg for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I should preface this review with the fact that I didn't realise this book was a sequel. I read it based on the summary and the cover alone, and I thought they sounded great.
Immediately, the main characters of Ree and Javani were interesting to me, I loved their dynamic, and everything I learned about them meshed really well with what I was seeing on the page. It was also really refreshing to see a fantasy protagonist with a disability who was actually affected by said disability! As the cast expanded throughout the book, I thought they were all equally interesting and compelling, and their motivations believable.
That said, I don't know if it's because it is a sequel (and so there was something I was missing) or the second book in a trilogy (and therefore suffering from middle book slump) but I did find this story a little slow to get going. It's strange, because the events that kick everything off happen on basically page three, but I sort of felt that the plot drove to a halt as soon as Ree and Javani got to the village. Things did pick back up again later on, but I did find myself struggling around the 15-30% marks in particular.
This was, overall, a really solid book, and I'll definitely pick up the first one in the trilogy to see if it helps the reading experience of the second at all.

A brilliant thrill ride of a sequel to a powerhouse of an outstanding Book One. I loved every moment of this and can't wait to see what happens next.

David Wragg is evolving, and not since Darwin and those excessively large tortoises has the science of change been so exciting to watch.

The wise-cracking fantasy author was first introduced to the world through his endlessly entertaining Articles of Faith Duology, which featured brilliantly funny dialogue and mercenary-with-heart hijinks in a vaguely Eastern European world with a refreshingly innovative approach to worldbuilding (“you’re on your own, son”).

Last year we got the first book in his new Tales of the Plains trilogy, The Hunters, which was a statement of intent if there there was one that Wragg was getting more ambitious. Set in the same world as before, albeit the more Middle-east inspired northern deserts and plains of his world, it combined the non-stop pace of relentless chase sequences with strong, deep character work, and was one of the most memorable fantasies of the year.

Now we get the second entry, The Company of the Wolf, which for me represents Wragg’s almost final form; this is a masterpiece of the book, a fantasy marvel, that will simultaneously be the funniest fantasy you will read all year while also being the one most likely to make you leak vast quantities of salt water when you least expect it.

The first great thing about this book is that, after the frantic dashes of the previous tome, it is essentially set in one location. Ree, the warrior turned middle-aged mother figure to her increasingly capable daughter Javani, seek to pass the mountains to get to the alleged utopia on the other side, but end up in a strange remote village nestled in a mountain valley. It soon becomes clear that this village of peaceful nomads, who have congregated here from their other walks of life for various reasons, is in danger from a freelance military outfit ostensibly promising protection, and Ree and Javani might be their only saviour from an all-out assault on the village.

If this sounds familiar, then it’s because it’s essentially a take on The Seven Samurai/Magnificent Seven. But Wragg isn’t just here to copy the greats; in creating a village of phenomenally compelling and curious characters who must face up to the age-old choice of foolish peace or reluctant violence, he is creating his own classic. The desperation of Ree to make these pacifist villagers see the true nature of the threat they are up against versus their distrust of her as the cause of bringing this violence to their doorstep is a strong narrative thread that Wragg pulls on repeatedly to great effect. There are deep themes here about the nature of violence and the merits of action, whether people can change and whether they should change. Wragg is no longer hinting at thematic depth in his books; he is wading headfirst into their depths.

But the true joy of this book is the characters. Almost every villager, from the curiously stubborn village leader Camellia to the hilariously brusque and obnoxious hermit hunter Anri, feels fleshed out and vividly real, and as Ree and Javani get to know them I felt a strong sense of brotherhood emerging with this motley crew until my desperation for their survival became a burning need. The trick Wragg pulls off like a fantasy David Copperfield is to hint at reasons for the way they are and then slowly pull back the curtain with devastating effect to give us the full answers. Anri’s story in particular is as brutally poignant as it is refreshingly unconventional. This is a book that asks us not to judge people but to question how they became the way they are, and whether they can be redeemed.

However not everyone can be redeemed, and in the cunning, Machiavellian, smug, slimy creation of Lado of Cstethia, Wragg has given us one of the defining fantasy villains of the decade. One of the secrets to making a great unredeemable villain – as opposed to the ones we are meant to empathise with – is to make their actions so frustratingly obvious in their deception yet the outcome so successful, while simultaneously making the villain so gleefully self-satisfied in their lying. Or in other words, make them the biggest bastard to ever be conceived. Lato, who twists the mercenaries into a unit devoted to the destruction of the villagers with an ever escalating mountain of absurd, Trump-like rhetoric, is one such bastard. He is incredible. Your blood pressure will rocket whenever he is around.

Of course, Wragg is still one of the funniest if not the funniest fantasy authors plying his whiplash quip trade, and this book probably has the most laugh-out-loud lines of his catalogue so far. I took great pleasure in particular from one of Wragg’s trademarks, the overly loquacious character, in the form of the token good mercenary Captain Manatas, whose excessively formal long-winded dialogue is a constant joy just as Ree’s ribbing of it is. Wragg is also, perhaps for the first time, interested in a romance, and Ree and Manatas’ hesitant steps in this regard are pitch perfect, hinting at new reservoirs of tropes in Wragg’s armoury.

But it’s the combination of everything I’ve been yakking about for the last few paragraphs – character and wit – that makes this book so remarkable. There are moments of true sorrow and poignancy in this book that destroyed me. Wragg is going for the heartstrings with this one – I choked up on five separate occasions, and not a single one did I see coming. And yet mere moments later Wragg had me chuckling along to a fantastically conceived one liner. There are some fantasy authors that can wreck you emotionally. There are some who can entertain and amuse. With this book, Wragg shows he can do both on the same damn page, and I honestly can’t think of many other fantasy authors who can manage that devilishly tricky tonal highwire act.

Overall, with diamond wit, blade-sharp dialogue and a cast of characters so compelling I’d give my right hand to save them were they real, this is not just Wragg’s best book, but everything I adore about modern fantasy in one volume. Wragg is among the greats now.

3.5. Thanks to Netgalley for the arc. This was a solid read. I enjoyed the characters the most and liked the banter between the characters.

Overview:
This very much felt like a middle book and the pacing was too slow for me to really get engaged with it, but I still really love these characters.

Re-Readability:
I'm now at a point where I don't know if I'm going to continue with the series (despite there only being one book left) but even if I do, I'm not sure if it's a series I feel the need to own. I definitely don't see myself ever wanting to re-read this installment in the series, because I strongly considered dnf-ing several times.

Writing:
I enjoy Wragg's authorial voice and I guess his... flow, as a writer. His writing is pretty solid overall, to me.

Characters:
The characters are still my favorite element to this series -- Ree and Javani are great. I love their complicated dynamic and their personalities individually.

Plot:
The pacing here was far too slow for my enjoyment... nothing much really happened until 80% in, and all of the plot points up until then just felt dragged out. I didn't really love that we were just hanging out in this village, and I kept waiting for that part of the story to be over but then by like 40ish% in I realized that we were going to be there for the entirety of the book... I enjoy Wragg's characters and writing style, but I seem to not really be getting along all that well with the actual plot points he lays out.

Themes:
Community. Family. Sacrifice. Duty. Good v evil. Morality. Honor.

I don’t like to place books in age classes but for this was definitely YA, I enjoyed it but at times felt quite old whilst reading it

4,5 stars.

Our heroes are back. Javani and Ree are in danger, once again.

While the prose is not typically what I would normally go for, I like this setting, characters and the series, so far.

As for this second instalment, its engaging cinematic and video game like quality, the action and the pacing are great. The best audience for this book is those who love fantasy with humour, adventures and YA audiences.

I am looking forward to the next book in this series. I’ll miss the characters until then.