I have only recently begun reading paranormal romance; mostly sticking to plots involving vampires. I am now, however, beginning to read more shape shifter plots, particularly werewolf storylines, in addition to all of the other sub genres that fall under the paranormal umbrella. I have not previously read any of Ms. Weldon’s work, but the various plots of her Wanton Werewolf series intrigued me enough to give them a go. I decided to read the entire series, in order, and will complete separate reviews for each, although they do have a few points in common.

Chaos is the prequel to the first in the series, Leader of the Pack. It tells the story of the relationship between Chaos and Tee (short for teeth), so called for her rather long canines. This is a short story, only 60 pages, and contains some very explicit sex scenes – so be warned!

The story is fairly original, being told mainly from Tee's point of view, although Chaos's viewpoint does occasionally sneak in, particularly in the ‘introduction’. This was the aspect of the book that I enjoyed the most, although I admit to having been irritated occasionally by the style of writing. For example, the constant use of ‘ya know?’ throughout the story, though this undoubtedly will not be an annoyance for everyone. Indeed, having now read the entire series, I can see how the use of this phrase may just be a reflection of the character’s personality, since in the next book this phrase is rarely used and in the second it disappears altogether.

Another aspect of the story that I found rather original and refreshing is the apparent different stages of shape shifting within the novel, for example, ‘crinos’. However, I was occasionally confused by the author’s descriptions of these and would recommend that the differences be made more explicit in future stories.

After the introduction, where Chaos’s character is explained from his own viewpoint, the story moves on and Tee takes over its telling. She begins by explaining a little about herself; for example, the recent increase in the number of ‘suicide days’ she has, or, in other words, where she behaves so recklessly, she runs a very high risk of getting herself killed. Detailed at this time is her most recent reckless behaviour; finding herself in Chaos's bed, who Tee describes as “the meanest ... garou on the planet”. The story takes off from here, looking first at her current situation but interspersing some reflections and accounts of the past, such as how she ended up in Chaos’s bed in the first place.

Ms. Weldon’s story is very much a ‘live for the moment’ romance. It is made explicit throughout the story that the lifespan of werewolves in her tales are very short. Therefore if you are the type of person who prefers characters to have a long, happy life together, rather than a short one with a violent end, then this series is probably not for you.

I would say that if you like this genre, you might like to give it a try. If this is not a genre you have read before but are interested in, then I would recommend giving it a go at a later date if you find you enjoy the genre, but I would not recommend starting off with it unless you are the type who enjoys live for the moment romances, since it is not representative of the majority of plot lines available in this genre (at least, that I have so far come across) and may give you a false feeling for what the stories in this genre are like.

Reviewed By Elizabeth
© June 2005